Naruto and the staff of wonder and ruin
by lots-shadow
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki finds him self in a strange magical world now come watch as he starts his own adventure at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. But thing will quickly get out of hand as an escaped mad man is on the lose and trying to get in the school
1. Chapter 1

Hello, everyone so some quick notes before we start the new story. Sorry its been some time now that I have had a chance to post anything new, been working a lot of overtime for the past few months. So, this story is based on your choices so read and review and let me know how you want the story to go.

(don't own harry potter or naruto)

* * *

 ** _The power of the mystic._**

 ** _Inner strength._**

 ** _A staff of wonder and ruin._**

* * *

"I really thought I could do it this time." Thought Naruto as he looked down at the ground, disappointed with today's outcome the sun was almost setting and every one that had passed the test and received their headbands was long gone by now he was just sitting on the lone swing tied to the large tree right across the academy entrance.

"Hey, Naruto." Looking up Naruto saw it was one of his school instructors a small smile on the man's face.

"Mizuki-sensei?" asked Naruto wondering what the gray-haired man wanted. Mizuki walked up the to the blond boy

"Sorry about what happened today, look I know I'm not supposed to say anything. Why don't we go for a walk and talk about Iruka" Mizuki offered and not having anything better to do Naruto hopped off the swing and followed. As they walked Mizuki give Naruto several dark looks like the villagers always gave him. Taking to the building rooftops Naruto followed Mizuki till they were several blocks away from the academy. Now instructor and student were just sitting down looking out and the setting sun.

"His parents were killed when he was young, and he had to take care of everything himself, Iruka is a serious person." Said Mizuki as he tried to give Naruto some insight in to the way Iruka thought. The reality of this conversation was that he was hoping the demon brat could be used for his mission.

"But, why does he only pick on me." Said still depressed about today, it wasn't his fault he couldn't make the stupid clone." Naruto said still felling very down about not passing.

"He probably sees a lot him himself in you, he's probably thinking he wants to see you become strong in a real way. Try to understand the way Iruka's feeling since you also have no parents." Said Mizuki as he watched the blond from the corner of his eye.

"Look I'm not supposed to say anything about this, but there might be away from you to still pass without needing to make clone." Mizuki said off handedly at his words he saw the boy become overly excited at the news.

"perfect, I got him right where I want him." thought Mizuki as he stated to tell the blond about the special exam the blond teen jumped away from Mizuki-sensei and made a b-line for the Hokage's tower. Braking in to the tower wasn't as difficult at he thought it would be and now, and thanks the to the old man being a pervert he was able to knock him out with his sexy justu. Scroll in hand Naruto jumped out the nearest window and headed for the meeting point in the forest. After several minutes of jumping thought the trees and staying clear of any of the training fields Naruto landed in the small clearing.

"Alright, let see what I should learn first?" asked himself out loud as he took the scroll off his back and started to fumble with its edge trying to open it up. Very quickly the look of joy left his face when he saw the first justu in the scroll.

"WHAT!" it was clone justu just his look Naruto thought as he screamed out exasperatedly at the school.

"Nope." Naruto simply said as he opened the scroll more and moved on to the next justu in the list.

"Hey Mizuki, said learn a justu, he didn't say which one." Naruto told himself as he looked at the next one that was written down.

 **"Teleportation-justu: applied specified hand signs with appropriate amount of chakra while thinking of your desired location, this justu is a stronger version of the "Substitution-justu" which will require a greater amount of chakra but will enable to user to no longer rely on having to physically switch his body out with anything if the same physical size or dimension."**

"Perfect, this should be easy to learn." Thought Naruto as he stated to run through the hand signs he would need to perform the jutsu.

"Alright let's see come where to teleport." He told himself as he stated to think about a spot in the village he could travel.

"I know, somewhere amazing." Naruto thought as he did the hand signs and called forth all the chakra he could muster from his body. **"Teleportation-justu"** Naruto yelled out as he slammed his hand down on to the forest floor, the last thing he saw was a blinding white light then suddenly he was being pulled by some unseen force. It was like someone hand tied a rope around him and pulled with all there might, he was moving and not moving the whole forest around him seemed to be rushing past him or fading away to black. He could feel a cool breeze hitting his face as he moved through the air. Only this time there was no forest, no Kakashi, no light. He was falling, falling deeper and deeper in to darkness, travelling towards some unseen place. How long had he been in this place, just then he started to slow down in his decent till he finally came to a complete stop. There was still nothing around him, but he had landed on something solid he could feel it under his feet. He looks around and takes a step forward. There is a flash of blinding light as a large flock of birds rise from the platform, flying in all directions and scattering feathers everywhere. Naruto shields his eyes as the wind whips at him. He watches them leave while the last feathers fall. The platform now depicts a girl dressed in red her face hidden in shadow. Naruto turns around seeing no one but himself then he starts yet hear a voice.

 _ **So much to do, so little time... Take your time. Don't be afraid.**_

 _ **The door is still shut. Now, step forward. Can you do it?**_

Taking a few slow steps forward Naruto begins to wonder where that voice is coming from, just then a light shine down from above as a large stone pedestal rises from the platform in a shower of light and magic. Naruto turns toward it. A red shield blinks into existence, floating above it

 ** _Power sleeps within you..._**

Another pedestal rises from the platform, a blue staff floating above it.

 ** _If you give it form..._**

A third pedestal appears Naruto, who turns toward it. sees a metal sword appears in midair

 ** _It will give you strength choose well._**

 ** _Your path is set._**

The three stones suddenly sink into the floor, knocking Naruto back onto the platform. The ground rumbles as he looks around. The edges of the platform crumble off and the platform shatters. The boy falls through darkness and lands on another platform, this time depicting a girl in a beautiful silver ball gown.

There will be times you have to fight. Keep your light burning strong

"Hey! what is this." Naruto shouted out in panic as the darkness engulfs his legs. Thinking quickly, he pulls out a kunai from his leg holster and starts to slash away as the darkness clenches onto him. His slashing hand is lost to the black abyss. Naruto can't fight it off any longer as he lies on his back as the darkness wraps its last threads around his frightened eyes.

"What the hell is this!" shouts Naruto as he fell through the black void again only this time however something very different was starting to happen. From all around him huge ribbons of light where wiping past him as they all met at a single point. Within these ribbons of light Naruto could see everything, not just everything he had ever seen, but everything that had ever happened. All around him Naruto watched like thousands of tv screens showing him thousands upon thousands of images. Suddenly as quick as all of this was happening It was gone and Naruto was finding himself waking up outside.

"What the hell was that." Naruto said out loud as he rapidly blinked trying to adjust his eyes to brightness of the daylight. As he walked way from his spot it took him a few minutes before he finally noticed it.

Slowly starting to open his eye's, Naruto had to blink several times to adjust to the brightness of the morning sun.

"Oh, man. What happened?" Naruto said out loud as he got up off the ground, rubbing the sore spot starting to grow at the back of his head. Slowly looking around as he tried to gain his barring, Naruto turned around and that's when he noticed that there was a ten-foot-tall stone wall that that seemed to go on for several miles, and a large metal gate he had never seen in the village before.

"Hey, what the hell is going?" Naruto said out loud as he walked up to the metal gate, at it's top Naruto saw an arching steel sign that read " **HOGWARTS** " not understand what the word meant Naruto, just shrugged this off and walked up to the gate. He pushed it open and stepped through, once on the other side of the gate Naruto saw a winding dirt path and several other things he had never seen before in his life in the hidden leaf village. To his far left he saw a large lake, with its calm black waters it looked to be a mile or two across, to the far right they're was the tree line that looked to be the beginning of a large thick forest. Next to that Naruto could see tall stands of red, yellow, blue, and green and large gold rings at the top of long poles. But the strangest thing Naruto saw was right in front of him, at the end of the dirt path at the top of several small hills, sloping lawns and gardens was a castle. This wasn't just any castle. It was a massively huge, rambling, quite scary-looking castle, with a jumble of towers and battlements that was sitting atop a small hill.

"Wow, it worked the summoning worked this place is amazing." Was all Naruto could say as he started to run down the dirt path that lead right to the castle, jumping with joy. Moving closer and closer he also noticed several large flower patches and a small hut next to forest, not too far from the castle were several green houses covered with vines. In no time in all he reached the large wooden double doors of the castle, and right as he was about to reach for the door it suddenly opened slightly on its own. Pushing his way in Naruto stopped mid-step as he saw the inside of the castle. the entrance hall was so big Naruto wondered if a whole house could fit inside it with little to no effort. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches in brackets, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. Looking around noticed several doors the ground floor that where set all along the sides of the wall. The most noticeable of these doors were a set of large wooden double doors, much like the one's that led in to the castle itself. Walking up to the door Naruto pushed it open and stepped inside the next room.

This new large room was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table looked upward Naruto saw a sky-blue ceiling dotted with several large fluffy white clouds drifting along ... It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that it didn't simply open on to the heaven. Amazed Naruto moved in the hall, walking along the long tables. At the very end he saw at the center of the head table in front of a large ornate purple chair, was a dinning set of gold and silver all laid out. Once he was finally standing directly in front of it, something amazing happened.

"Wow!" Naruto yelled out in astonishment as the most mouthwatering looking food appeared out of thin air. Naruto's mouth fell open, the dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had neve seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb shops, sausage, bacon and steak, boiled potato, roast potatoes, fries, peas, carrots, and much more. Having never really been allowed to eat as much as he liked back in the village, thanks to the villagers always taken away anything that Naruto ever wanted, even if it made him sick. Naruto piled his plate with a bit of everything except the vegetables and began to eat. It was all delicious and there he sat for some time just enjoying the free food.

"That does look good," said an amused voice from behind Naruto, this caused him to jump up in shock at the sudden appearance of another person. Looking back Naruto saw a tall elderly man dressed in purple robes, he wore half-moon glassed, had a long-crooked nose and flowing silver hair, beard and mustache.

"I'm quite sorry, I was not my intention to give you such a fright." Said the old man calmly as he looked down at Naruto, who was now coughing up a piece of chicken he had been eating.

"Hey, who are you?" Naruto asked the old man as he moved away from the table to get a look the man face to face. said as he looked up at the old man. His name wasn't the only thing that was funny about him, thought Naruto as he got a better look at what old man had on. Then something started to dawn on Naruto, this old man whoever he was must live in the castle and he was eating his food.

"My name is Albus Dumbledore, Current headmaster of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, and who might I ask are you." Asked Dumbledore as he looked down at the blond teen. He pulled out a chair, took a seat next to Naruto and stated to serve himself food

"This place is a school, wait witchcraft like magic and stuff." Said Naruto looking around even more amazed at this place. And as they ate Dumbledore stated to explain all about the magical world and Hogwarts school. Naruto sat with batted breath as he learned about wands, spells, dragons and all other manners of magic. Once Dumbledore was finished talking he politely looked over at Naruto waiting for him to speak.

"Oh, man sorry, is this your food. The front doors opened by themselves and this amazing food just showed up." Naruto apologized sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head laughing lightly. This just caused the old man to chuckle lightly.

"My dear young man, it's quite alright there's more than enough food." Said Dumbledore after taking a bite out of a pork shop. Looking back at the table Naruto saw that everything he had just eaten was replaced like magic. This was just another amazing thing that had happened around this place that Naruto noticed about place he had teleported to.

"Oh right, I'm Naruto Uzumaki" said Naruto through a mouthful of food.

"Tell me, Naruto, how is it that you found yourself at my school." Dumbledore asked politely as he continued to eat his food and motioned for the teen to do the same.

"Well it all started when I was trying to learn a new justu." And with that Naruto dove in to his whole life story and what lead him to Hogwarts. The entirety time Naruto talked Dumbledore sat there politely his fingers crossed looking down his half-moon glasses. When Naruto finally finished the light blue sky above him was a deep purple with a few stars starting to appear.

"You seem to have been though a great deal in a short amount of time, Naruto." Said Dumbledore

"Yeah well just wait till I tell Iruka about this, I'll get my headband for sure this time." Naruto said excitedly as he minds adjusting something on his forehead.

"But I am afraid I must inform you that you are no longer in your homeland You see; this castle is hidden away in the countryside in the country of England. I am afraid there is no hidden leaf village anywhere in the world to my knowledge." Said Dumbledore in a calm voice

"Wait, what? Hold on, what do you mean this is not I'm my world!" Naruto had now stood up suddenly tossing his chair back in shock

"Naruto its alright, let me explain. You see it's my theory that when you tried to teleport you some how ended up sending yourself to Hogwarts, so trying the same thing again should send you back home." Dumbledore explained to Naruto, at this the blond stated to calm down.

"Oh, so if I try it again I can go back home that great. Well thanks for the food dubble-door see you later." Said Naruto as he quickly moved through the right-hand seals, gathered his chakra and slammed his hands on the stone floor.

"I was interesting to meet you as well Naruto, and I hope you become a ninja." Said Dumbledore However nothing happened Naruto looked at his hands wondering what had happened, he gathered his chakra and tried again.

"Hey, what's going on? why isn't it working?" Naruto asked out loud as he sat back down in the chair looking down at his hands in wonder. Dumbledore took a moment to think before finally speaking

"may I see your hands for a moment, Naruto." He asked as he moved up in his seat, and takin in the teens hand he inspected them for a moment

"Could you gather some of your chakra to your hands Naruto?" asked the aged headmaster, nodding Naruto did as he was told. After a moment Dumbledore finally spoke.

"Well, I may not fully understand chakra, but form what I can tell you my dear young man seem to have an inner magical essence. So, for the time being till the mystery of returning you to your world becomes clear, I would like to offer a place at this my school if your willing that is." Dumbledore said kindly as he let of the Naruto's hands, stood up pulling out is wand from within his robes and giving it a small wave everything on the table vanished.

"Yes, I'll do it." said Naruto excitedly as he touched the spot on the table where the food had once been.

"Excellent, come to my office there is work to be done if you are to attend Hogwarts this coming term." Dumbledore said as he and Naruto left the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Naruto's legs were like lead, but only because he was so full of food. He was amazed however, despite his sleepy feeling by the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as he passed, and twice Dumbledore had led him through a doorway hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, Naruto wondered how much farther they had to go when they come to a sudden halt. They were now standing halfway down an empty corridor in front of a stone gargoyle.

"Acid Pop!" said Dumbledore at this the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him slit in two. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upwards, as Naruto and Dumbledore stepped onto it, Naruto heard the wall thud closed behind them. they rose upward in a circle, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Naruto saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin. Opening the door and stepping inside Dumbledore's office Naruto was amazed. It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. Several curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tainted wizard's hat

"So, Naruto, if were plaining to make you a Hogwarts student than I believe we should learn what your house will be, you remember what I told you about the school houses." Dumbledore asked kindly as he pulled the wizard's hat form off the shelf and placed it on the desk in front of Naruto

"Yeah, there four of them right slithe-run, huffoolpuff, eagleclaw, and grfindoor." Sane answered back pound that he had remembered all their manes,

"Very good, well if you're ready I will place the Sorting heat on your head and you will be sorted in to your Hogwarts house. Now it is important to remember Naruto that while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four Houses each has its own noble history, and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts your triumphs will earn you house point, while any rule breaking will lose house points at the end of the year the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor, are you ready." Asked Dumbledore as he waited for Naruto to nod and placed the heat over his head.

"Ok, Naruto relax you got this thing in the bag." Naruto said quietly to himself as he looked around the dark inside of the old heat wondering what was going to happen next.

" _hmm, difficult very difficult_." Said a voice in Naruto's ear.

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(alright so that chapter one hope you all liked it very much and feel free to let me know what you think now it's time for this chapter's big choice.

Its up to you now which Hogwarts house will Naruto call home.


	2. Chapter 2

"Difficult. Very difficult." A strange raspy voice said in his ear. Instantly Naruto ripped the sorting hat off his head from the shock of it speaking and tossed it away from himself. the hat zoomed past Dumbledore's head and unfortunately it went through an open window behind the headmaster's desk. Naruto looked on in horror as the magical item left the room

"oh man, I'm sorry Dumbledore." Naruto said in a bit of a panic, he didn't mean for the hat to go out the window.

"not to worry, its quite alright my dear young man. Perhaps at first I should have given you a word of warning." Dumbledore chuckled lightly to himself as he pulled a long narrow stick from within his robes

"Is that your magic wand?" Naruto asked with all worried leaving his voice as he looked on excitedly at the possibility of seeing some magic

"yes, it happens to be so now watch closely, _accio_ hat." Dumbledore said pointing his hand over his shoulder at the open window. Naruto waited to see something happen and just a few seconds later the hat he had thrown out the window by mistake flew back into the room and landed on top of the desk neatly

"that was amazing." said Naruto excitedly to Dumbledore as he looked from the hat to the wand.

" _Accio_ , quite a simple spell one must concentrate on what they want say the spell and the item and it will come to you as long as it's not too out of the way or too large. Before we can start teaching you how to do that as well, you must be sorted and then you will be one step closer to starting your magical education." Dumbledore said with a light twinkle in his eyes.

"yeah no problem, let's do it." Naruto said eagerly as he took the hat place it back over his head

"oh, it's you again" this time the voice in the hats sounded very grumpy

"sorry about that, you know where I come from hat's don't talk back to you." Naruto tried to apologize to the hat.

"Muggle" the Hat mother to itself angrily

"let's just get this over with, as I was saying it is very difficult to place you. Young man I see within you great potential, but I also see that you have suffered a great deal. you're very brave no question about that but also ambitious, you crave approval and attention you yearn for it. A chance to prove yourself and stop all the daughters and naysayers yes, why not it's an interesting choice but it could work out for the better" the sorting hat said to him as. he could feel it move around atop his head.

"what could work out" Naruto asked wondering what this hat was talking about

"I just found the perfect house for you, boy" the hat said

"really which one?" Naruto asked

"Slytherin" the hat said out loud. taking off the hat and putting it back on the desk, Naruto looked over a Professor Dumbledore who had a well I'm very surprised but also very happy look on his face

"Slytherin, an interesting choice indeed but I think I can understand why the hat would put you there

"Dumbledore what is Slytherin like?" Naruto ask wondering what was going on and why Slytherin was and interesting choice for him

"Naruto, I believe, and I assume the hat does as well that there is something very special about you. Slytherin house which you will come to know personally, but you will also hear from the school can be misunderstood at times, but I believe but you could be the breach between Slytherin house and the rest of the school." Dumbledore said as he adjusted his glasses and let out a deep long sigh.

"I'm sure you can understand, and it is very true but sad. People hold many prejudiced off of things they just don't understand or wish to not take the time to. You know of what I speak, just look at the way you were treated. It is no different in the Magical World people see Slytherin house and just assume the worst." Naruto thought back on how his life used to be in the hidden leaf village, sure he pulled pranks a lot of the time. But people just straight heated him for no reason at all.

"Naruto what you must understand Slytherin is not bad, perhaps misunderstood yes. misguided as anyone can be, but not bad why the greatest wizard to have ever lived Merlin was a Slytherin. so try to keep that in mind the Slytherins may have a reputation of dark Wizardry, but it does not say anything less of the person you choose to be" Dumbledore finished saying to the blond teen. Naruto listen very closely to those words and it did make a lot of sense to him at least a little. the villagers always treated him bad he didn't really know why and none of them really took the time to know him and it sounded like people were doing the same for everybody in Slytherin. so, in that moment he promised himself that he would do everything he could to show everyone that Slytherin could be great.

"well then, we have your house. now I believe it's time for the next important step towards your magical education." Dumbledore said happily. As he took the sorting hat and placed it back where it went.

"really what's that." Once again Naruto was over excited.

"it's time for us to take you to Diagon Alley" the headmaster simply said in a matter-o-fact tone.

"what's a Diagon Alley?" Naruto wondered what the funny name meant

"why that is where we are going to go get you your school supplies, robes, and books" at the word books Naruto remembered he was going to go to a magic school which meant homework.

"not to worry Naruto, school does take hard work but that hard work will pay off remember that "said Dumbledore smiling at the sudden drop in Naruto's face

"apart from this you will also be getting your wand as well." At the thought of getting his own wand Naruto was starting to bounce out of his seat a ball of pure energy and excitement

"that's great how are we going to get there?" Naruto asked as he watched Dumbledore walk around from the back of his desk

"I believe the best way will be by floo Network, flu Network am I going to get sick?" Naruto asks

"the floo network is a special way the Wizarding World can use to travel certain distances through connected portals" Dumbledore explained to him

"wow thats amazing" Naruto said as he tried to think of what kind of magic spell would be able to do something like that.

"well then young man if you'll kindly step this way." Dumbledore motion for him to follow as he stepped near the large fireplace in the room

"watch very carefully Naruto and remember you must speak clearly." He took a pinch of glittering powder out of a small ornate porcelain pot, that was atop the mantle. Stepped up to the fire and threw the powder into the flames. With a roar, the fire turned emerald green and rose higher then Dumbledore, who stepped right into it, shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and vanished. Naruto looked on amazed and trying hard to bear in mind what Dumbledore had told him. he took a pinch of Floo powder and walked to the edge of the fire. Naruto took a deep breath, scattered the powder into the flames, and stepped forward; the fire felt like a warm breeze; he opened his mouth and called out "Diagon Alley!"

It felt as though he was being sucked down a giant drain. He seemed to be spinning very fast — the roaring in his ears was deafening — he tried to keep his eyes open but the whirl of green flames made him feel sick — something hard knocked his elbow and he tucked it in tightly, still spinning and spinning — now it felt as though cold hands were slapping his face — squinting through his eyes he saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the rooms beyond — All the food he had eaten was churning inside him — he closed his eyes again wishing it would stop, and then — He fell, face forward, onto cold stone. Dizzy and bruised, covered in soot, he got gingerly to his feet.

"Welcome Naruto to the Leaky Cauldron." Dumbledore said as he helped the blond teen to his feet. They were inside a tiny, grubby-looking pub. It was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when he stood up from the ground everyone seemed to know Dumbledore; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Professor Dumbledore?"

"I must decline your offer today, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Dumbledore as he clapped a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Come along, Naruto." Dumbledore led them through the bar an into a small, walled courtyard at the back, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. Naruto stood around wondering if this was the right place they were supposed to be at as Dumbledore was closely looking at the stone wall.

"Three up . . . two across . . ." he muttered. "Right, stand back, Naruto." He tapped the wall three times with the point of his wand. The brick he had touched quivered — it wriggled — in the middle, a small hole appeared — it grew wider and wider — a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for a giant man, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome, to Diagon Alley" said Dumbledore, He grinned at Naruto's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Naruto looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall. The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons — All Sizes — Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver — Self-Stirring — Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.

"You'll be needing one, but we will need to get you some money first." Dumbledore said. Naruto wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce, they're mad. A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium — Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of about Naruto's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "Look," Naruto heard one of them say, "the new Firebolt — fastest ever —" There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Naruto had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon. . . .

"Gringotts," said Dumbledore. They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was —

"That Naruto, is a goblin," said Dumbledore quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a few feet shorter than Naruto. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Naruto noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside a pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Dumbledore and Harry made for the counter.

"Good Morning," said Dumbledore to one of the free goblins.

"Mr. Dumbledore, how may I assist you this morning." the goblin asked as he put down the long quill he was writing with.

"Yes, I've come to withdraw from the Hogwarts Foster Funds." Dumbledore said as he pulled out a long-folded piece of paper and handed it over to the goblin. The goblin took the paper and unfolded it as he started to read it over.

"Very well, that seems to be in order. I will have someone pull that out for you. Griphook!" Griphook was yet another goblin. At this new goblin Griphook walked off to on of the many side doors in the hall. In the mean time that they waited for Griphook to return Dumbledore and Naruto went over to a small sitting area to wait.

"Hey, Dumbledore how am I getting money for all my things anyway?" Naruto asked as he looked around at all the goblins in the bank who had small piles of gold coins in front of them.

"Well, the Hogwarts board of governors have established such a fund for this kind of situation." Dumbledore said as he started to explain how a yearly money allowance has been establish for any student's who have no means of providing for themselves. It wasn't long after Dumbledore's explanation that the goblin Griphook had come back out and had handed a small bag to the Hogwarts headmaster.

"Here you go, will that be all." Griphook asked

"No thank you. You have been most helpful." Dumbledore said as the goblin walked off.

" Here you go Naruto have a look." And taking the bag, Naruto opened it up wide and took a look inside at the wizard money.

"The gold ones are Galleons," Dumbledore explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine bronze Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough for a couple of school terms. Back outside in the sunlight in front of Gringotts. Naruto didn't know where to run first now that he had a bag full of money. He didn't have to know how many Sickles to a Galleon to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole life.

"I believe our first step should be your uniform," said Dumbledore, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Naruto along with Dumbledore entered Madam Malkin's shop, feeling nervous. Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Professor Dumbledore how may I help you today." The witch asked as she walked over to them.

"Good day my dear Madam Malkin, I have brought young Naruto here to be fitted for his Hogwarts robes." Dumbledore said good naturedly as he motions to the teen to follow the witch in to the back of the shop. Madam Malkin stood Naruto on a stool and slipped a long robe over his head and began to pin it to the right length.

"what Hogwarts house are you in dear." Madam Malkin asked as she started to work on the length of his robe sleeves.

"Slytherin." Naruto said happily and was able to notice her face fall a little when he told her about his house he was staying in. this just proved to him what Dumbledore had told him back at his office. But before Naruto really had time to think about it, Madam Malkin said, "that's you done, my dear." And Naruto glad to be done hopped down from the footstool. Paying for his robes Naruto and Dumbledore left Madam Malkin's shop and then they stopped at another shop to by parchment and quills he to his amazement found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote. When they had left the shop.

They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Naruto, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Dumbledore almost had to drag Harry away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.

After leaving the book shop they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Dumbledore asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Naruto, Naruto himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop)

Outside the Apothecary, Dumbledore looked up the high street and Naruto noticed something catch his eyes

"Naruto, I believe I forgot to tell you that Hogwarts students are permitted to have a pet." At this new piece of news from Dumbledore, Naruto became very excited at the thought of having his own pet. They crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie. There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Dumbledore and Naruto waited, examining the cages.

A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails. The double-ended newt wizard left, and Dumbledore and Naruto approached the counter.

"Hi, I'm here to pick out a pet." Naruto said Happily as he looked around at all the different animals.

"Hogwarts, well right this way young man we have a nice selection of rats, cats, and toads available for you to select from. The witch, behind the counter said as she stepped around the counter and started to show Naruto around the small cramped shop. Naruto quickly looked passed at the rats and was captivated by a strange orange toad with dark blue spots all over its back. However, the sudden sound of a loud meow caught his attention. Moving past the toads and other things he found a large cage filled with kittens.

"that one, ill take the little one at the back." Naruto said as he pointed to a small snowy white kitten that was sitting at the back of the cage away from all the others meowing very loudly. The witch opened the cage and pulling the kitten out she walked back behind the counter and rang up the price of the cat.

"she's only a few weeks old so mind that you keep a close eye on her." The witch told Naruto as Dumbledore handed her five silver sickles for it. taking the kitten in his arms Naruto saw that she and one emerald green eye and one sapphire blue eye.

"She is quite a lovely creature Naruto, what will you Call her." Dumbledore asked as they left the shop. Naruto had to think about it "what was he going to call the cat", he had picked her out because she looked so sad sitting alone in the cage from all the others.

"Yuna, I think that's what I'll call her." Naruto said as he placed Yuna on his shoulder and proceeded to stammer his thanks to Dumbledore for buying him his first real pet.

"Not to worry Naruto, I expect you've haven't had a lot of experience receiving gifts, now I believe it is time we head over to Mr. Ollivanders, maker of some of the finest wands in the world." Dumbledore said. A magic wand, this was what Naruto had been really looking forward to. The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 b.c. as they walked up Naruto saw a single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. Reaching the front of the shop Naruto took a deep breath before turning the handle.

"This is it Yuna." Naruto told the kitten sitting on his shoulder as he opened the door and stepped inside


	3. Chapter 3

AN: (Hello everyone sorry about the wait of time in the posting of all stories, I've been working night shift for the past few months and haven't had the time to really post anything new. Now however I should be able to post more often now.) 2ND AN (also for those that are wondering I feel that Naruto is a good pick for being in Slytherin because at the point in the manga and the anime when he was going to learn the shadow clone justu he was only thinking about being better than Sasuke and having everyone in the Village acknowledge him.

A tinkling bell rang off somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. Whatever Naruto had been expecting for a place that made magic wands this was not it. The shop was a tiny place empty except for a singles spindly chair which Dumbledore sat on to wait. Naruto felt strangely like he had just entered a very strict library he swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes pilled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason Naruto got the feeling he was being watched the very dust and silence in the shop seemed to tingle with some unseen magic.

"Good afternoon said a soft voice, which made Naruto and Yuna jump Dumbledore however didn't seem to be affected by the sudden appearance of a voice. An old man was standing before them his pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom. Naruto was reminded a lot of Hinata Hyuga

"Hello" said Naruto awkwardly

"Albus Dumbledore this is an unexpected visit" Said Mr. Ollivander as he moved closer to Naruto who wished the old man would blink already, his silvery eyes were a bit creepy "Girrken, I've have bought young Naruto Uzumaki here for his first wand." said Dumbledore as he picked up Yuna after she had jumped from Naruto shoulder. Naruto wished he could have jumped back a bit too with his cat. Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Naruto were almost nose to nose to the point that Naruto could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.

"First wand at his age?" Ollivander asked taking his eyes off the blond teen

"A special circumstance." was all that Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes as he started to scratch Yuna behind the ear. Naruto was expecting Mr. Ollivander to ask questions about him but was surprised when he easily excerpted the headmaster cryptic response.

"Hmmm well now Mr. Uzumaki let me see, which is your wand arm?" asked Mr. Ollivander as he gave Naruto a piercing look as he pulled out a long tape measure with strange silver markings out of his pocket

"Well I'm left handed said Naruto hoping this would help

"Hold out your arm that's it." he then proceeded to measure from his shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and around his head as he measured, he started to speak

"Every Ollivander wand has a powerful magical substance, Mr. Uzumaki we use unicorn hair phoenix tail feathers and the heart strings of dragons no two Ollivander wands are the same just as no two unicorns Phoenixes and dragons are quite the same and of course you will never get such good results with another wizards wand."

Naruto suddenly realized that the tape measure which was measuring the distance between each of his nostrils was doing it all on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves taking down boxes

"That will do" he said as the tape measure crumpled in to a heap on the floor

"Mr. Uzumaki beechwood and dragon heartstring nine inches nice and flexible just take it and give it a wave." the wand maker said, and Naruto took the wand and ready for something amazing to happen he whipped it high above his head and waves it around energetically but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather seven inches quite whippy try." Naruto tried but he hardly raised the wand when it to was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander

"No, no, here ebony and unicorn hair eight and a half inches springy go on, go on try it out" Mr. Ollivander said eagerly Naruto tried and tried he had no idea what the old man was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the shops counter it was almost to the top of the shop, but the more wands Naruto tried the more excited Mr. Ollivander became. Even Dumbledore was sitting on the edge of his chair a look of the utmost concentration on his face even with the little white kitten pawing away at his long beard.

"Tricky customer eh? Not to worry well find the perfect match here somewhere." said Ollivander as they went back to trying wands on and on they went to the point that Dumbledore had summoned two rather large and comfortable arm chairs for him and Naruto. Naruto himself had lost his excitement and was now beginning to wonder if he would ever get a wand

"I wonder, but no not possible… then again why not deathly combination elder and thestral hair twelve and a half inches unpredictable and fierce." Mr. Ollivander said as he walked over the long narrow box sitting in the shops window display. The box had a thick layer of dust showing it had not been touched in many years

Naruto took the wand out of its box at once he felt a burning heat it shot up his arm it felt like he was being pierced by invisible white-hot needles. Naruto wanted to drop the wand to end the pain, but something deep down told him not to give in. Knocking his chair back as he got to his feet, he raised the wand high above his head and brought it swishing down through the dusty air. A blast of brilliant blue and white fire shot from the end of the wand like fireworks throwing the shop in to a ghostly light, Dumbledore cheered and clapped and Mr. Ollivander

"Oh, bravo yes indeed oh very good well, well, well how unexpected but the best things are one may suppose." Mr. Ollivander said as he put Naruto's wand back in to its dusty old box and started to wrap it in brown paper

"I remember every wand I ever sold Mr. Uzumaki but never in all my years did i think that particular wand would pick a master."

Naruto was starting to feel uneasy about his new wand but quickly brushed the feeling aside because he was too excited about finally having his own magic wand

"A word of caution, Mr. Uzumaki Elder wands are reputed to be deeply unlucky and trickier to master than any other they contain powerful magic it takes a remarkable wizard to keep an elder wand for any length of time oh yes the wizard in question is marked out for a special destiny indeed." Ollivander said as he looked over at Dumbledore

Naruto was determined to prove he was the master of this wand he paid thirteen gold galleons for it and Mr. Ollivander bowed them out the shop with little Yuna back on his shoulder Naruto and Dumbledore made their way back down Diagon Alley the afternoon sun was hanging low in the sky as they made it back through the wall that led to the Leaky cauldron.

Once they were back in the Leaky cauldron they went to the fireplace and use the floo powder to return to Hogwarts Castle this took a bit of time due to the fact that when Yuna saw the green Flames bursting out of the fireplace she took off at a mad dash in the opposite direction and Naruto and Dumbledore had to spend the better part of 10 minutes tracking her down

"Well my dear young man I believe that was quite a lot of excitement for one day and I do believe dinner time is quickly approaching said Dumbledore after they went through the floo network and stepped back into his office

"yeah I can always eat." Naruto happily excellent as they left the headmasters office and headed for the Great Hall

"why I do believe you might get an opportunity to meet some of the other Hogwarts teachers." as they left his office and started to head down the corridors and staircases as they walked Naruto admired all the many magical paintings and that's when a thought had just occurred to him

"Hey, Dumbledore, do all the teachers live in the castle?"

"As a matter of fact most do not for you see we are currently in the summer vacation so apart for myself and perhaps a few teachers who drop by to do some work the castle typically remains empty during the summer but once classes start teachers move back into the castle to live at the moment the new school year is only two weeks away so many of the teachers have already started to return get their lesson plans ready set up their offices that sort of thing." Dumbledore answered happily as they entered the Great Hall and just like before Naruto saw that all the for long tables were empty but the farthest table at the very end was all decked out with an assortment of foods but this time he saw that they were a few new people there.

The first person Naruto noticed was a big beefy man who was sitting down but still reached well over the others at the table his face was almost completely hid by a mane of long shaggy hair and a thick tangled beard but Naruto could still see his eyes which glinted like black beetles under all his hair next to the giant man was tall black haired witch in emerald green robes in deep conversation with another wizard and from the look of her very stern face Naruto could tell she was a teacher just like Iruka, she was not someone to cross the last person at the table was a wizard in black robes with greasy black hair a hooked nose and sallow skin and just like the witch in green this man also had the look of someone you don't want to mess with.

"who's that you got with you professor Dumbledore?" asked the giant man once they had finally reached the staff table, the other two also looked up from their plates at them

"This Hagrid is Naruto Uzumaki and he will be starting at Hogwarts this coming term." Dumbledore said happily as Naruto smiled

"Naruto these are some of the finest teachers Hogwarts has to offer this is Minerva McGonagall head of Gryffindor house and the transfiguration professor. This is our new care of magical creature's instructor Rubies Hagrid and that is our potions master Severus Snape who also happens to be your head of house." Dumbledore finished his introductions

"Hello nice to meet you." Naruto called out to them excitedly the ones called Hagrid and Minerva both smiled at him and welcomed him to the school the wizard in the black robes however didn't share in their warm hospitality

"headmaster what is the meaning of this the boy is clearly too old to be a first year and none of us where told of a transfer student coming to Hogwarts this year said Snape as Dumbledore and Naruto moved around the table and started to eat

"Yes, well you see young Naruto here is a special circumstance now if you excuse me, we have had and eventful day in Diagon alley and this roosted potato do look good" said Dumbledore as he completely blow off the question this didn't go unnoticed by McGonagall and Snape

"Dumbledore try this it's amazing." said Naruto through a mouth full of food as he shoved a piece of cooked meat he had on the end of his fork right in the headmasters face which he graciously accepted this caused the other adults at the table to look on at the blond teen each wondering who the boy was and how he was on such good terms with the headmaster

"Pretty good right." said Naruto as he passed some of the same meat to Yuna who had jumped off his shoulder and was now eating off his plate and so there dinner when on with Naruto happily eating away and he tried to see what kinds of food Yuna would eat

"Another excellent meal" said Dumbledore about an hour after they had sat down to eat now

"Minerva and Severus if you too could kindly join me in my office, I believe you have some questions for me I will ask you to join is as well Naruto." said Dumbledore after Hagrid had excused himself from the table. as they all got up Naruto grabbed Yuna off the table who had been trying to eat a piece of ham that was almost as big as her. He walked behind them as they left the great hall and head back up the marble stair case once more, they moved through the castle till they reached the stone gargoyle that guard the way to the headmaster's office

"Now then I believe the best way to do this would be to have Naruto go first said Dumbledore as he sat behind his desk as McDougal and Snape sat in front of it Yeah sure no problem said Naruto and just like with Dumbledore, he started to retell his life story and the events that lead to him showing up outside Hogwarts castle

just like with Dumbledore they didn't speak while he told his story but once he was done Naruto could tell there was some lingering doubts about what he had was just said

"Headmaster this is preposterous the boy is clearly lying about who he is." Snape said not bothering to hide his disbelief

"Perhaps Albus the boy does have a talent for magic but i must agree with Severus as well."

"Hey I'm not lying." shouted Naruto angrily at the two adults

"Perhaps Naruto, what Minerva and Severus need is a demonstration" said Dumbledore as he tried to calm the blond boy down. He then pulled out his wand and gave it a few ways above his head then suddenly an adult size dummy and eight knives Albus what it the meaning of this asked Minerva as Naruto picked up the knives off the desk and quickly inspected them So where do you want them asked Naruto as he picked up all the knives four in each hand understanding what Dumbledore wanted him to do

"I want there to be no doubt in anyone's mind about you Naruto so the head and the heart will do just fine." said Dumbledore as he levitated the dummy clear across the room till it was in front of his office door and with one swift motion Naruto launched all eight knives at the dummy and every single one hit its mark with four in its head and four dead center in its chest both heads of house looked shocked at what they had seen.

Dumbledore just sat back in his chair a small twinkle in his eyes and Naruto looking very pleased with himself meanwhile Yuna was trying to grab the long red and gold tail feathers of fox the phoenix

"Now I'm not sure of the reason why Naruto ended up in this world but he is able to see this school meaning he has the right to attend it so, Severus I would like you to take this schools newest member of Slytherin house to his new home." said Dumbledore said head of Slytherin House didn't look to please at the news of this blond dimensional travel was sorted in to his house just like with Harry Potter. Severus Snape got a feeling this boy would be trouble

"Very well come along boy." said Snape as he stood from his chair and headed for the door quickly Naruto grabbed Yuna and chased after him but not before shouting a thanks over his shoulder to Dumbledore once the office door was closed Minerva turned back to the headmaster

"Albus I don't understand the boy has been raised to be a killer he clearly has a strong magical core, but the life he has had till now do you think it wise to have him around the rest of the students?" she asked trying to understand how the man's mind worked at times

"Minerva two years ago Voldemort was living in this school through Quirrell than last year the Chamber of secrets was opened by a powerful memory of his younger self and now this." Said Dumbledore as he showed his age and pulling out a copy of today's daily profit there on the front cover in bold letters the headline SIRIUS BLACK ESCAPES AZKABAN

"I fear the enemy is beginning to move." said Dumbledore heavily.

"You don't mean He Who Must Not Be Named is returning." said Minerva in a slight panicked voice.

"We always knew he would return. Grindelwald once believed that it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folks that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love. Why Naruto Uzumaki perhaps it is because I am afraid, and he gives me courage." Said Dumbledore as his mind drifted to Lilly Potter. After saying good bye to Dumbledore Naruto went after Snape

"So the old man said you teach potions what's does that mean that anyway?" asked Naruto after he had caught up with the head of house Snape lost his footing for a moment before he gave Naruto an off look

"Professor Dumbledore." Snape corrected right what did I say said Naruto not understanding what Snape meant you will address him as

"Professor Dumbledore or Headmaster." Snape said through gritted teeth unable to believe the audacity of the blond teen

"What why he said I could call him that." said Naruto not liking the way Snape was talking to him was starting to be reminded of Sasuke anyway it was clear enough to him that's Snape had some kind of attitude problem towards him

"Potions is the magical science of combining and creating various elixirs some of which can be beneficial to their user and deadly to his enemies." said Snape completely ignoring what Naruto had said. Naruto stayed silent for a moment try to process everything Snape had just told him

"So, you're like a magical cook do you know how to make magic cookies." said Naruto enthusiastically this time Snape really did trip up on his own robes

"Listen here Uzumaki I am not a cook." Snape said furiously still moving down the many staircases Naruto was only left wondering what the outburst was all about. as he followed along when they finally reached the entrance hall, they headed down the marble staircase, through a side door in the hall they headed down into the darkness. their footsteps echoing loudly the dungeons under the castle would like a labyrinth but as they want Naruto to make sure to remember every twist and turn. Till finally Snape paused buy a stretch of bear damp Stonewall

"This is the entrance to the Slytherin common room I do hope you remember how to get here because I will only be showing you this one time." said Snape sharply

"yeah, yeah, I got it through the door in the hall go straight left right straight past two quarters left right straight past 3 left right left easy." said Naruto offhandedly once again Snape was left wondering if this boy really was who Dumbledore claimed

"now to gain entrance into Slytherin house what is required to state the correct password the password is changed every so often by me when the password is changed you will be notified by the house prefect."

"what's a prefect as Naruto cutting off Snape mid-sentence now during the summer holiday the password is." said Snape once again ignoring Naruto but then he hesitated for a moment as if insure of himself to Naruto it almost looked like he was embarrassed

"the password is Lily." said Snape then suddenly a stone door concealed in the wall slid open Snape marched through it and Naruto and Yuna followed him in. the Slytherin common room was a long low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round greenish lamps were hanging on chains a fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece around it where several high black chairs there were several large green and silver tapestries hanging off the walls looking around the common room Naruto spotted two doors to the sides

"Nice place." said Naruto as he let out a little whistle

"Now listen well." said Snape as you stood in front of the fireplace this made him look like a large vulture thought Naruto

"You are now a member of Slytherin house cunning ambition resourcefulness pride and nobility these were the traits Salazar Slytherin himself sought after in his students and you to share in those traits for that is why you are here Gryffindor maybe be brave Ravenclaw may be clever Hufflepuff well there nothing to boast about but what do those things do if one does not possess the right mentality to fully seek out his potential that is what Slytherin has now the rest of the school will look down upon you what does trust you even hate you for this remember Slytherin takes care of its own we are your new family now." finished Snape in what must be a very rehearsed speech the door to the left is the boys dormitory the right is the girls do not go there and with that being said Snape leaving Naruto alone in the common room with his cat

"Come on Yuna lets go take a look at our new room." said Naruto as he walks through the door that lead off in to the boy's dormitory.

AN: (well I hope the story is coming along well for everyone reading, I know there isn't really any Naruto Xover Harry Potter Slytherin mixes at all.


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto moved through the door and found the beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep green, silver curtains. his trunk had already been brought in to the room. Too tired to really think much about how it got to his room, he pulled on his pajamas and fell into bed. The past two weeks that Naruto had spent inside Hogwarts castle had been the best of his entire life so far, his typical day starting with him waking up and heading out of the Slytherin dormitory and up the Great hall for breakfast

after that he would spend half the day exploring the grounds and the castle them it was back to the Great hall for lunch this was typical a solo affair with only him and Yuna than after lunch he would occupy an empty classroom and start to go through the standard book of spells grades one and two which thanks his large magical core he was able to work though the books at a record time but still had quite a way to go to get caught up on two years of magical education he would do this till dinner time which he would with Dumbledore McDougall and Hagrid and on occasion Snape this time was spent with him talking most night way leading everything about magic and the wizarding world with September first moving closer and closer Naruto got an opportunity to meet every teacher in Hogwarts

with all this going on when Naruto awoke on one particularly chilly, Thursday morning he was surprised to find not his typical black robes he was starting to get a customer wearing but instead his Slytherin house robes quickly tossing aside his emerald sheets he hopped out of his four poster bed and quickly began to dress it is a new ropes taking a look at himself at the long mirror that was behind hanging off the back of the bathroom door Naruto looked at himself with great pride at the Slytherin album he saw above his chest there was only one problem now How do I tie this thing said Naruto as he held his green and silver neck tie in his hand thinking to himself he grabbed Yuna and throwing her on his shoulder he headed out of the Slytherin common room and went to go look for his head of house Severus Snape from the Slytherin common room it did not take long for Naruto to reach the potions classroom

Potions class took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. moving down the rows of desk to the door at the back of the room. Naruto give it a quick Knock and stepped inside before anyone had time to reply

"Hey, Severus, I need some help." Naruto said cheerfully as he barged his was in to the office at the moment Severus Snape was adding the final touch to a very complicated looking potion the sudden slam of his office door caused Severus to almost add the whole contents of the vail, he was holding to the caldron

"Uzumaki what is the meaning of barging in to my office." rounded the now furious potions teacher as he moved around and looked down at the blond and his cat

"Sorry I was just wondering if you could help with this tie." Naruto asked as he held out the tie to his head of house. Snape just had an irritated look as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at the tie in the boy hand. Naruto was caught off guard as it shoots out of his hand and rapped its self around Naruto's neck and bends and twist before it sets in to a neat tie around his neck.

"So, what you are making?" asked Naruto as he moved around the man and took a look at the potion as the stated to bubble up.

"Uzumaki, don't you have some were better to be." Snape said angrily at the blond.

"Oh, yeah thanks, Snape." And with that that Naruto left the office and headed back through the classroom and out of the dungeon and up to the Great hall for breakfast. and so, after a big meal Naruto anxiously awaited the end the arrival of the rest of the school at dinner. Which came quickly enough as he was walking around the grounds with Yuna the sound a train whistle caught his attention. Moving up the lawn Naruto caught sight of the large crowd of Hogwarts students stating to head up to the school.

Quickly Naruto joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors. The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Naruto followed the crowd toward it, looking around excitedly at all the students but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called,

"Uzumaki! Potter! Granger! I want to see you three!"

Naruto turned around surprised as he spotted boy in glasses with messy black hair and a girl with long bushy brown hair walk out of the room. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. Naruto fought his way over to her with a feeling of foreboding: Professor McGonagall had a way of making him feel he must have done something wrong.

"There's no need to look so worried — I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Weasley." Naruto looked around at who she was talking too and saw a tall, lanky redhead stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Him and the Gryffindor's called Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor. As all three teens moved through the castle Naruto got a better look at the other two teens, they both were in gold and red trim Gryffindor robes and looked to be around his age.

The boy was rather small and skinny for his age he had jet black hair which was stubbornly untidy the eyes behind his glasses were bright green and on his forehead clearly visible through his hair was a thin scar shaped like a bolt of lightning. As for the girl she had lots of bushy brown hair rather large front teeth chocolate colored eyes and light peach skin Naruto thought she was pretty. All the while Harry and Hermione were looking over at Naruto wondering who he was. Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Naruto, Harry, and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly,

"Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter." Before the Potter boy could reply there was a soft knock at the door and Madam Pomfrey the school nurse came busting in

"You what in havens name have you done to yourself this time." she said as she walked up to Naruto

"Nothing I swear Poppy." said Naruto as the witch started to look him over

"I told Headmaster about you little trips in to the forbidden forest, but does anyone listen to me no, Poppy its Potter that's in need of a looking over not Uzumaki." said Professor McGonagall

"oh, it's you is it." said Madam Pomfrey as she rounded on Harry

"I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again." as the boy started to talk with the nurse Naruto turned to look at the girl

"Hello om Naruto Uzumaki oh and this is Yuna." said Naruto introducing himself and his cat after she had popped out of his robs and sat on his shoulder

"Oh hello my name is Hermione Granger its very nice to meet you too." said Hermione as she felt a slight warming in her cheeks never had she ever had someone stair so intensely at her before or had she ever seen eyes so blue or whiskers on anyone at Hogwarts before

"So are you and your friend third year students too?" asked Naruto happily but his attention as drawn to the boy when he loudly called out

'I'm not delicate!" Harry said loudly

"what's wrong with your friend?" Naruto asked Hermione as he looked over and watched as Madam Pomfrey started to take his pulse

"it was a dementor on the train before we arrived at the school

"Right, what's a dementor?" asked Naruto wondering what a dementor was

"Oh, are you muggle born well dementors are creatures that guard the wizard prison Azkaban." Hermione told the blond teen a bit surprised, seeing he was a Slytherin an all

"Are you sure you feel all right Potter." Professor McGonagall said sharply Yes said Harry

"Very well Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss. Granger and Mr. Uzumaki about their course schedule then we can go down to the feast together." Professor McGonagall waited till Harry was out of the room and back in the corridor before addressing the two teens in front of her

"On to the first order of business, Miss Granger this is Naruto Uzumaki he has just been enrolled to Hogwarts and do to certain circumstance he will be starting with the third-year class. I am telling you this because the headmaster has asked me to find a capable student to help tutor Mr. Uzumaki and I couldn't think of anyone who I would trust to do this than you Miss Granger." Professor McGonagall said with a faint hint of pride in her voice Hermione was left momentarily speechless

"Yes, Professor McGonagall I would be more than willing to help tutor Naruto." Hermione said excitedly at the thought of being chosen to personally oversee someone's education.

"Excellent Miss Granger the headmaster will be glad to know you are willing to help bring Naruto along said McGonagall breathing a sigh of relief.

"Very good now that has been token care of, Mr. Uzumaki if you would join Mr. Potter outside while I have a few words with Miss. Granger." Said Professor McGonagall

"Yeah no problem, thanks for agreeing to tutor me." Naruto told Hermione as he got up and headed out of the office to go wait outside in to corridor with the dark-haired spectacled boy named Potter.

"Hi, I'm Naruto Uzumaki."

"Harry, Harry Potter." Said Harry Potter as he shook hands with the blond teens and something happened that Harry didn't expect was the boy called Naruto instead of looking strait to his scar instead took the white cat off his shoulder and placed it on the floor and pull a long string from within his robs and stated to play with the cat, instead of looking straight to his scar.

"So, Hagrid told him some pretty about you, did you really fight stop Voldy-mort in you first year." Harry had to pause for a second to think about what he had just heard.

"Yeah, but I had help from my friends Ron and Hermione."

"Yeah that sounded like one bad guy." Said Naruto Before Harry could respond to the question Hermione emerged looking very happy about something followed by Professor McGonagall and the four of them made there way back down the marble staircase to the great hall It was a sea of pointed black hats each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. A Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall

"Oh said Hermione softly we missed the Sorting"

new students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the Sorting Hat which shouted out the House they were best suited to Gryffindor Ravenclaw Hufflepuff or Slytherin. Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table and

"Well it was nice meeting you ill see you around" said Naruto as he turned to look at the other two before starting to move towards the Slytherin table Harry and Hermione quickly said there good byes and set off in the other direction as quietly as possible toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry but mostly at Naruto who must have been a quite a sight for them with a cat in his shoulder and whiskers and bright golden blond hair Walking up the table Naruto took the first seat he could find and planted himself between some very nervous looking first years

"Hi im Naruto Uzumaki and this his Yuna" Naruto started to introduce himself but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak and he broke off Naruto watched him beaming around at the students he felt really calm for the first time since the dementor had entered the train compartment

"Welcome" said Dumbledore the candlelight shimmering on his beard Welcome to another year at Hogwarts I have a few things to say to you all and as one of them is very serious I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban who are here on Ministry of Magic business" He paused

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds" Dumbledore continued and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises or even Invisibility Cloaks It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you

Naruto beginning to wonder what kind of creatures the dementor thing were Dumbledore paused again he looked very seriously around the hall and nobody moved or made a sound

"On a happier note he continued I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year First Professor Lupin who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher There was some scattered rather unenthusiastic applause, but all the same Naruto clapped

"our second new appointment Dumbledore continued as the luke warm applause for Professor Lupin died away. Well I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn our Care of Magical Creatures teacher retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs However I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties

this time Naruto clapped very loudly and let out a lout whistle in the two weeks leading up to the start of turn the blond got to knowing the giant very well as he would always run in to him whenever he went in to the forbidden forest

Well I think that's everything of importance said Dumbledore Let the feast begin The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink Naruto helped himself to everything he could reach and began to eat along with Yuna It was a delicious feast the hall echoed with talk laughter and the clatter of knives and forks Naruto got to talk with all the first years sitting around him

At long last when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed Joining the rest of the Slytherins Naruto moved through the great hall down in to the dungeons and to the familiar looking stone wall where a Dark-haired prefect pushed his way through the crowd

" Pay attention the new password is Serpent" everyone moved through the hidden passage way and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate dorm Naruto moved down the hall till he reached the familiar circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds only this time he wasn't alone there in the room where several other boys around his age there was a pale looking blond two rather large trollish looking boys on rather thin boy with long chestnut hair and solemn faced dark skinned boy

Hi im Naruto


	5. Chapter 5

(AN).. hello and sorry for the formatting of this chapter have been typing it out on my phone so once again sorry

Naruto awoke the next morning bright and early as he typical did but today would be different because he would be starting his new classes along with the rest of the school looking around the dormitory Naruto saw the rest of his new house mates still fast asleep, he started to think back on last night's conversation

"This is Crabbe and this is Goyle said the pale boy carelessly noticing where Naruto was looking And my names Draco Malfoy you'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others I saw you talking with Potter and that mud blood Granger you don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort I can help you there." Malfoy said as he held out his hand for Naruto to shake which the blond toon right away glad to have made his first house friend

"Well one of your parents had to have at least been a pure blood for you to have ended up in Slytherin so that's something I suppose." he remember Blaise had said when he told them he had grown up in an orphanage all his life and then one day had suddenly appeared in front of Hogwarts but all in all none of them had a problem with him Crabbe and Goyle reminded him a lot of Choji the loved to eat and take things nice and easy Draco Malfoy was a different story he reminded Naruto of Sasuke Uchiha a stuck up jerk than the last two where Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini they dint hang out with Draco but associated enough to be on good terms with one another last night they had talked for some time as

Naruto told them about himself and what Dumbledore had he had agreed upon when it came to explaining his life story Naruto wondered what Draco had meant about wrong families then he remember that Severus told him Slytherin house was his new family Gryffindor can't be that bad the blond told himself as he headed out of his dorm through the deserted common room and out through the stone wall once he had reached the entrance hall from the dungeons Naruto went out the large wooden doors down the stone steps and out to the school grounds even if he was in a different world about to become a wizard ninja habits die hard and so just like every morning before

Naruto would start his morning workout with a few laps around the black lake weaving at the giant squid that lived in the lake as it lazily swam by after that he would go to one of the trees by the lake and proceed to do his sets of pushups, pull ups, and upside down crunches once he was all done he would walk back to where he had left Yuna and his robes

"Ready for some breakfast girl." Naruto told the white kitten as he scooped her up off the ground and throwing his robes and headed back towards the school excited for his first day of magic school when he made it up the lawn and back through the castles front door the first people he saw where Harry Hermione and a tall lanky ginger haired boy making their way down the marble staircase

"Hi, you guys" Naruto called out happily

"Hey Naruto, called back Harry Good morning Naruto and you as well said Hermione as she pulled Yuna off the teens shoulder and proceeded to scratch the kitten behind the ear as she baby talked it

"Hello, I'm Naruto Uzumaki by the way." Naruto held his hand out for the red head to take but instead he just gave Naruto a funny look till Harry elbowed him inside

"Honestly Ron he's a Slytherin not diseased Hermione scolded Right Ron Weasley what you doing out on the grounds so early for." Ron Asked That's none of our business Ron Hermione said quickly

"Oh that I was just doing my morning workout Naruto said off handedly as all four of them entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story

"Ill see you guys later come on Yuna Naruto called out as the kitten leaped out of Hermione's arms and on to his shoulder reaching the Slytherin table Naruto took an empty seat next to Theodore and stared to pail his plat with a bit of everything he could reach a bit more down the table Naruto could see a large group all around Draco

"What's so funny." asked Naruto as he and Yuna started to eat

"Oh that Draco is reenacting how Harry Pitter fainted on the train yesterday Theodore told the blond

"that's not very nice why is he doing that"

Well that should be obvious." Blaise who had just sat down at the table

"He's jealous of Potter." Blaise clarified after seeing the blank expression on Naruto face

"Wow that's lame" said Naruto as he eats some more

"Yeah the whole house thinks so too." said Theodore

"That's why they are all laughing along." Naruto asked now confused

"It's because the Malfoy family is well connected, and they don't want to get on his bad side." said Blaise now Naruto was really reminded of Sasuke. just then the prefect from last night came up to him

"Uzumaki Professor Snape wants to speak with you."

and with that he left the Great hall looking up to the head table Naruto saw Severus taking with Abuse about something

"Ill see you guys in class I guess Naruto told Theodore and Blaise as he got up and started to walk up to the head table

"Hey Severus, hey Albus once he had reached his head of house and the school headmaster

"It's Professor Dumbledore and Snape to you Uzumaki Snape started to say

"Now Severus good morning Naruto I trust your ready for your first day?" asked Professor Dumbledore uplifted the teens energy This dismissal didn't go unnoticed by Snape

"Oh yeah I can't wait." Naruto answered

"Headmaster Uzumaki was called her for a reason Snape interjected

"Ah yes of course Dumbledore said before taking a sip from his goblet Uzumaki Snape continued

"Due to your need of a constant tutor your class schedule will be different from the rest of the Slytherins in your year Granger has agreed to help so your classes will be with the Gryffindors." Snape finished as he handed Naruto a piece of paper

"Ok thanks ill see you around Abuse." said Naruto as he turned away from the head table the hall was starting to empty as people headed off toward their first lesson Naruto checked his course schedule

"You better go Uzumaki Divination is at the top of North Tower and Slytherin students are not late to their classes said Snape leaving the entrance Naruto ran in to Harry Ron and Hermione again

"Oh, good Naruto you got your schedule said Hermione as she pulled the paper from his hand Professor McGonagall told me last night you would be having classes with the Gryffindors Their journey through the castle to North Tower was a long one

"There's got to be a shortcut Ron panted as they climbed their seventh long staircase and emerged on an unfamiliar landing where there was nothing but a large painting of a bare stretch of grass hanging on the stone wall, I think it's this way said Hermione peering down the empty passage to the right

"That's south look you can see a bit of the lake out of the window." said Naruto who seemed to be the only one not out of breath suddenly their attention was drawn to the painting Harry had been looking at they watched in astonishment as the little knight tugged his sword out of its scabbard and began brandishing it violently, hopping up and down in rage but the sword was too long for him a particularly wild swing made him overbalance and he landed face down in the grass

"Are you all right said Harry moving closer to the picture

"Get back you scurvy braggart back you rogue." The knight seized his sword again and used it to push himself back up but the blade sank deeply into the grass and though he pulled with all his might he couldn't get it out again Finally he had to flop back down onto the grass and push up his visor to mop his sweating face Listen said Harry taking advantage of the knights exhaustion were looking for the North Tower

"You don't know the way do you a quest the knights rage seemed to vanish instantly He clanked to his feet and shouted

"Come follow me dear friends and we shall find our goal or else shall perish bravely in the charge and so the four of them followed the knight as he moved through the paintings on the wall leading them to the North Tower Farewell cried the knight popping his head into a painting

"Farewell my comrades in arms If ever you have need of noble heart and steely sinew call upon Sir Cadogan

'Yeah well call you muttered" Ron as the knight disappeared, after they had finally made it to North Tower if we ever need someone mental his comment caused Naruto to laugh a little They climbed the last few steps and emerged onto a tiny landing where most of the class was already assembled There were no doors off this landing but Ron nudged Harry and pointed at the ceiling where there was a circular trapdoor with a brass plaque on it

"Sibyll Trelawney Divination teacher Harry read

How're we supposed to get up there." asked Naruto and as though in answer to his question the trapdoor suddenly opened, and a silvery ladder descended right at Naruto's feet Everyone got quiet

"After you said Ron grinning so placing Yuna with in his robs Naruto climbed the ladder first He emerged into the strangest looking room he had ever seen there where at least twenty small circular tables were crammed inside it all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs Everything was lit with a dim crimson light the curtains at the windows were all closed and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves It was stiflingly warm and the fire that was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty looking feathers stubs of candles many packs of tattered playing cards countless silvery crystal balls and a huge array of teacups Ron appeared at Naruto's shoulder as the class assembled around them all talking in whispers

"Where is she Ron said A voice came suddenly out of the shadows a soft misty sort of voice

"Welcome it said How nice to see you in the physical world at last Naruto immediate impression was of a large glittering insect Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight and they saw that she was very thin her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings Sit my children sit she said and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs or sank onto poufs Naruto Harry Ron and Hermione sat themselves around the same round table Welcome to Divination

"My name is Professor Trelawney you may not have seen me before I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye Nobody said anything to this extraordinary pronouncement Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued So

"you have chosen to study Divination the most difficult of all magical arts I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight there is very little I will be able to teach you Books can take you only so far in this field We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry

"By the way my dear she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil beware a red-haired man Parvati gave a startled look at Ron who was right behind her, and edged her chair away from him In the second term." Professor Trelawney went on

"we shall progress to the crystal ball if we have finished with fire omens, that is Unfortunately classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu I myself will lose my voice and around Easter one of our number will leave us forever."

A very tense silence followed this pronouncement but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it Now I want you all to divide into pairs Collect a teacup from the shelf come to me and I will fill it Then sit down and drink, drink until only the dregs remain Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand then turn the cup upside down on its saucer wait for the last of the tea to drain away then give your cup to your partner to read You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future I shall move among you helping and instructing" Once she had finished giving her instructions everyone stated to move about.

she caught by the arm as he made to stand Naruto wondered that she wanted but Professor Trelawney didn't look at him Her eyes started to roll Naruto stood there in a panic She looked as though she was about to have some sort of seizure and then Professor Trelawney spoke again in a harsh voice quite unlike her own **"The demon of the leaf will rampage once again the pain once felt will we the hate unrestrained under the full moon man and beast will clash and crimson will be the serpents head only the strength of the lion will save a dear** **friend** " Professor Trelawney's head fell forward onto her chest She made a grunting sort of noise Naruto stood there staring at her then suddenly Professor Trelawney's head snapped up again is something the matter my dear but Naruto didn't say anything he just sat back down not wanting to look anyone in the eyes Naruto could hear voice around him but nothing really registered he didn't look up till a small cup full of hot amber liquid was placed in front of him

"Naruto are you alright." a soft voice asked as someone's hand found there ways atop of his the sudden sensation of being physically touched caused the him to jump a little in his set but he relaxed when he saw it was only Hermione

"Yeah sorry I'm fine Naruto told her unconvincingly as the thanked her for the tea they both opened their books at pages five and six

"What can you see in mine tea drags." said Hermione flatly the heavily perfumed smoke in the room was making him feel sleepy and stupid

"Broaden your minds my dears and allow your eyes to see past the mundane Professor Trelawney cried through the gloom Naruto and Hermione tried to see something with in their cups but Naruto couldn't focus and Hermione was reading and rereading Unfogging the future for any sign kind help

"I'm I supposed to be seeing something?" asked Naruto however at moment their attention was drawn by Professor Trelawney's

"Let me see that my dear she said reprovingly to Ron sweeping over and snatching Harrys cup from him Everyone went quiet to watch Professor Trelawney was staring into the teacup rotating it counterclockwise

"The falcon my dear you have a deadly enemy

"But everyone knows that" said Hermione in a loud whisper Professor Trelawney stared at her

"Well they do said Hermione

"Everybody knows about Harry and You Know Who." Harry and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before

"You know who Oh your talking about Voldemort right" said Naruto loudly causing all but Harry and Hermione to flinch back this caused Harry to look over at Naruto in a new light Professor Trelawney chose not to reply She lowered her huge eyes to Harrys cup again and continued to turn it

"The club an attack dear, dear this is not a happy cup"

"I thought that was a bowler hat" said Ron sheepishly

"The skull danger in your path my dear."

Everyone was staring transfixed at Professor Trelawney who gave the cup a final turn gasped and then screamed Professor Trelawney sank into a vacant armchair her glittering hand at her heart and her eyes closed

"My dear boy it is kinder not to say no don't ask me Everyone had got to their feet and slowly they crowded around Harry and Ron's table pressing close to Professor Trelawney's chair to get a good look at Harrys cup

"the suspense is terrible I hope it will last" said Naruto excited over all the commotion

My dear," Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically,

"you have the Grim."

"The what?" asked Naruto. Looking around He could tell that he wasn't the only one who didn't understand; Harry shrugged at him but nearly everybody else clapped their hands to their mouths

in horror.

"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Harry hadn't understood.

"The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen — the worst omen — of death!"

"I don't think it looks like a Grim," Hermione said flatly. Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.

"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future

"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" said Harry, taking even himself by surprise. Now nobody seemed to want to look at him.

"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest voice.

"Yes . . . please pack away your things." Silently the class took their teacups back to Professor Trelawney, packed away their books, and closed their bags. Even Ron was avoiding Harry's eyes.

"Don't worry about it to much Harry, back home people tell me I going die all the time and I'm still around." Naruto said jokingly as he slapped Naruto on the back.

"Until we meet again, fair fortune be yours" said Professor Trelawney faintly, Harry, Ron, Naruto, and Hermione descended Professor Trelawney's ladder and the winding stair in silence, then set off for Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration lesson. It took them so long to find her classroom that, early as they had left Divination, they were only just in time.

"So… is anyone going to talk about what just happened back there?" asked Naruto wondering if every class was going to be this intense.

Harry, and Naruto chose a seat right at the back of the room, the rest of the class kept shooting furtive glances at him, as though he were about to drop dead at any moment. He hardly heard what Professor McGonagall was telling them about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals), and wasn't even watching when she transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes

"Wow, that was amazing did you see that Harry." Naruto said out loud amazed at what he had just seen. "Thank you Mr. Uzumaki, but really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around at them all.

"Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class." Everybody's heads turned toward Harry again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand.

"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and —"

"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning.

"There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?" Everyone stared at her.

"Me," said Harry, finally. "And I think me as well, maybe."

"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes.

"Then you should know, Potter, that Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues —"

Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly,

"Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney —" She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone,

"You look in excellent health to me, Potter, Uzumaki so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in." Hermione and Naruto both laughed. When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch.

"I'll see you after lunch." Said Naruto to the three Gryffindor's as he walked over to the Slytherin table for lunch. Before Naruto had time to place food on his plate three Slytherin girls had walked over to him.

"So, you must be the new kid Draco was telling me about Uzumaki Naruto right, well I'm Pansy Parkinson this is Millicent Bulstrode and Daphne Greengrass." Looking up Naruto saw three girls standing in front of him. Pansy was standing in the front of the other two she had shoulder length dark brown hair and a hard-faced she was easily the thinnest of the three, Millicent was black-haired and had a heavy, jutting jaw. She had a large, square build that allowed her to physically intimidate smaller people, the last girl was Daphne she was sporting a short bob and sleek black rimmed glasses.

"Yeah nice to meet you." Said Naruto as he looked up at all of them

"Why weren't you at History of Magic with the rest of the Slytherins." Asked Pansy

"Oh that, I have a different schedule." Said Naruto as he went in to the explanation of why he had classes with the Gryffindor's instead of the Slytherins.

"Well you're here now so why don't you come join the rest of us." Said Pansy as she Daphne and Millicent walked back down the table towards the rest of the Slytherin's in his year. And quickly getting up he followed them and took an open seat next to Crab.

"Uzumaki there you are, we were wondering what had happened to you." Said Draco lazily as he looked over at the other blond

"I had Divination with the Gryffindors." Said Naruto as and Yuna started to eat and talk with his fellow Slytherins. That is until the sound of a book slamming into a table looking around at the source of the sound Naruto saw Hermione quickly getting up from the table and storming out of the Great hall. Quickly excusing himself Naruto got up form the Slytherin table and followed her, Yuna in hot pursuit. Moving out the Great Hall Naruto stood in the Entrance Hall and was able to see a mass of bushy brown hair moving out the front door and out to the castle grounds.

"Hermione, wait." Called out Naruto after he and Yuna had finally been able to caught up to her.

"hello Naruto said Hermione still sounding a bit flustered

"is everything okay I saw you leave the Gryffindor table in a hurry ask Naruto as the two continue to walk down the grounds today reached a small Peach Tree by the Black Lake yes

" I'm fine its just this whole the Grim business has got Ron acting hysterical yeah him and the rest of the class send Naruto agree with her as they both sat down under the tree there was a moment of silence between both teens only broken by the sounds Yuna swiping away add a little daffodil

"Naruto when we were leaving the class you said something to Harry what did you mean people telling you your going to die is an everyday thing Hermione asked looking away from the lake and staring at the blond it was at that moment he knew he had said something he wasn't supposed to he and Dumbledore agree that he couldn't say certain things but it was in his best interest to not let everyone know about his past however in trying to help Harry not feel so worried he had let something slip about his life in the hidden leaf and it must have shown because he had not said a word since Hermione had asked him her question she was beginning to look at him very oddly but just then something had occurred to Naruto

"Hermione he asked

"were friends right he hoped the answer would be yes he waited on bated breath for her to answer him

"of course we are Naruto Hermione said a little surprised that the blonde didn't think that already this was a great relief to Naruto

"really that's great okay since we're friends there should be no problem saying this to you according to Dumbledore anyway I'm not from here Naruto set thinking this would explain everything the remaining just looked at him like he I just stated the obvious oh write what I mean is I'm not from this dimension

whatever Hermione have been expecting it was not this what do you mean not from this dimension Naruto

that's impossible isn't it Hermione ask and so Naruto went into an explanation of his life just got done with Dumbledore Severus and Minerva he told her about the hidden Leaf about his life the way the villagers made his life going to the Ninja Academy taking the Sealing scroll so he could learn the ninjutsu being teleported outside of Hogwarts his meeting with Dumbledore the following trip to Diagon Alley his sorting into Slytherin and then the two weeks he had spent exploring the Hogwarts Castle and grounds leading up to today

Hermione was very silent for a long time this was starting to worry Naruto does she think I'm lying I hope she believes me Naruto taught himself in a slight panic

"Naruto that's awful how could those people treat you that way Hermione said her eyes starting to well up a bit this was not something Naruto didn't expected his story to make Hermione sad

"Its okay don't be sad Hermione I'm fine it never bothered me and it's not living there anymore I'm here now and things are great Naruto said hoping he could calm the girl down but this only seemed to make her look even sadder

"no Naruto was starting to get really confused now

"I'm sorry Naruto I didn't me to get upset it's just upsetting to hear all the things you have been through Now Naruto was really confused why would his life upset Hermione

" its ok don't worry and so the rest of their lunch was spent with Hermione telling Naruto about the non magic world and with Naruto showing her some of his skills with his kunai which he still kept on him

"Wow that's incredible Naruto said Hermione after he had lunched several kunai in to tree When the bell sounded up at the castle Naruto placed Yuna back in his robes helped Hermione up and they both walked in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest It was only when he spotted three only too familiar backs ahead of them that he realized they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins Malfoy was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle who were chortling

" Hey guys called out Naruto once he was near looking round the class Naruto realized that Care of Magical creatures would be with the Slytherins and Gryffindors Naruto saw Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut He stood in his moleskin overcoat with Fang the boarhound at his heels looking impatient to start

"C'mon now get a move on he called as the class approached.

Got a real treat for yeh today Great lesson comin up Everyone here Right follow me

For a moment Naruto thought that Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest this would have been amazing Naruto loved exploding the forest However Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees and five minutes later they found themselves outside a kind of paddock There was nothing in there Everyone gather round the fence here he called

"Thats it make sure yeh can see now firs thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books

"How said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy

Eh said Hagrid

"How do we open our books Malfoy repeated.

"Like this Draco called out Naruto as he over exaggerated himself slowly opening the front cover of the book he was holding this got a few laughs from the Slytherins and the Gryffindors but looking at the copy of The Monster Book of Monsters in Draco's hands which he had bound shut with a length of rope Other people took theirs out too some had belted their book shut others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips

"Hasn, hasn anyone bin able ter open their books said Hagrid looking crestfallen

Yes i have called out Naruto as the rest of the class all shook their heads

Min showin them how its don Naruto Asked Hagrid nodding Naruto took Hermiones copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it The book tried to bite him but suddenly gave a low whimper and fell lifeless to the ground

"Here you go Hermione Naruto said happily has he handed the girl her book back but Hermione and the rest of the class where all looking at Naruto strangely again then on after another everyone took it in turn to walk up to Naruto so that they could open their book

" There's something off about him Ron whispered to Harry

" Righ then said Hagrid who seemed to have lost his thread

so so ye'hve got yer books an now yeh need the Magical Creatures Yeah So Ill go an get em Hang on

He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight

"God this place is going to the dogs said Malfoy loudly That oaf teaching classes my father'll have a fit when I tell him

"Shut up Malfoy Harry was about to tell off the Slytherin but was surprised when he saw that it had been Naruto how had spoken first both blonds seemed to be at a stand off but a squeal from Lavender Brown who was pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock where every ones attention was drawn Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Naruto had ever seen They had the bodies hind legs and tails of horses but the front legs wings and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles with cruel steel colored beaks and large brilliantly orange eyes The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck which was attached to a long chain and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures

"Gee up there he roared shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood Everyone, but Naruto drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence Hippogriffs Hagrid roared happily waving a hand at them

"Beautiful, aren they Naruto could see what Hagrid meant appreciating the hippogriffs gleaming coats changing smoothly from feather to hair each of them a different color stormy gray bronze pinkish roan gleaming chestnut and inky black So said Hagrid rubbing his hands together and around

" if yeh wan ter come a bit nearer Naruto moved closer when no one seemed to want to that is till Harry Ron and Hermione approached the fence cautiously so that the four where now standing together

"Now firs thing yeh gotta know abou hippogriffs is they proud said Hagrid

"Easily offended hippogriffs are Dont never insult one cause it might be the last thing yeh do

Naruto looked round and saw that Malfoy Crabbe and Goyle weren't listening they were talking in an undertone Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs move

Hagrid continued Its polite see Yeh walk toward him and yeh bow an yeh wait If he bows back yehre allowed ter touch him If he doesn bow then get away from him sharpish cause those talons hurt Right who wants ter go first

Most of the class backed farther away in answer Even Harry Ron and Hermione had misgivings The hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings they didn't seem to like being tethered like this

" Ill do it said Naruto as he climbed over the paddock fence

"Good man Naruto roared Hagrid

"Right then lets see how yeh get on with Buckbeak he untied one of the chains pulled the gray hippogriff away from its fellows and slipped off its leather collar The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath Malfoys eyes were narrowed jealously however once Naruto started to move forward all the hippogriffs in the paddock started to stomp at the ground anxiously in flex a large wings as a tossed and buck about while letting out ear piercing freaks they all seem to want to move away as much as possible from Naruto taking this as a sign Naruto step back slowly I jumped over the fence

" Righ hows about you try Harry Hagrid said and as Harry entered the paccdock not so brief back towards the rest of the class which were now giving him a wide birth

" So Uzunaki was was all that about Pansy asked as he rejoined the Slytherins

"I don't know Naruto answered honestly wondering why the hippogriffs acted the way they did Pansy just look at him suspiciously before turning back to talk with Draco looking round Naruto saw that all the Slytherins and Gryffindors where whispering to each other while giving him sideways glances all except Hermione which he was grateful for looking back to the paddock Naruto saw that Harry and gray hippogriff buckbeak where gone just then Harry could be seen atop of Buckbeak it flew him once around the paddock and then headed back to the ground he leaned back as the smooth neck lowered feeling he was going to slip off over the beak, then felt a heavy thud as the four ill-assorted feet hit the ground He just managed to hold on and push himself straight again

"Good work Harry roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy Crabbe and Goyle cheered

"Okay who else wants a go Emboldened by Harrys success the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock Hagrid untied the hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously all over the paddock Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut while Harry and Naruto watched on Malfoy Crabbe and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak He had bowed to Malfoy who was now patting his beak looking disdainful

" That looks fun said Naruto from his spot on the other side of the paddock he and Harry where talking when a loud voice carried over to them This is very easy Malfoy drawled loud enough for Naruto and Harry to hear him

" I knew it must have been if Potter could do it I bet you're not dangerous at all are you he said to the hippogriff Naruto looked on as Draco continued to pet the hippogriff and uneasy feeling growing in the pit of his stomach

"Are you, you great ugly brute It happened in a flash of steely talons and black robs Malfoy let out a highpitched scream and next moment Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy who lay curled in the grass blood blossoming over his robes

"l'm dying Malfoy yelled as the class panicked

"Im dying look at me Its killed me Draco kept on yelling out there was another highpitched screm from one of the girl and slowing opening his eyes Draco saw Naruto standing over him arms out starched as he had used his body to shield Draco from the angry hippogriff Hagrid who had gone very white moved forward to check on Naruto

"Someone help me gotta get him outta here Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Naruto easily As they passed Harry saw that there where several long deep gashes on Naruto's back blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him up the slope toward the castle Very shaken the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at a walk thanks to Hagrid's size they were able to reach the hospital wing in record time not that Naruto needed it thanks to his quick healing by the time Harry Ron and Hermione reached the hospital wing they found Madam Pomfrey bent over a bed complaining while a shirtless Naruto apologized to her

"I'm a nurse not a seamstress and let this be the last time you do something this reckless jumping in front of a raging hippogriff Madame Pomfrey said as she handed Naruto back his shirt and robe

"I'm sorry Poppy but I had to do something said Naruto sheepishly

"Naruto you're alright called out Hermione Hey you guys what are you doing here Asked Naruto confused by their arrival as her starting to get dressed again

"How are you healed already and where Hagrid asked Ron Oh that I heal quickly always had as for Hagrid he went to Dumbledore's office Naruto told them as he put on his robes

"thanking Madame Pomfrey for fixing the tars left by Buckbeak

"Come on you guys I think it's almost dinner time Said Naruto as he lead the way out of the hospital wing Naruto

" are you sure you alright asked Hermione who was still not convinced Harry two had his own doubts as well unlike Ron and Hermione he had seen Naruto's back he knew Madame Pomfrey was good but not that good

"yeah but why did you have to go and save that little git Malfoy asked Ron if you ask me should have let it finish him off and you would have done everyone a huge favor

"Ronald Hermione said scolding at him

"what Ron said incredulously "oh come off it Hermione you know Im right right Harry and looking over Naruto saw that Harry to was nodding his head

" both of you stop it you dont know what youre talking about said Hermione look

"ive only meet Draco last night and i can tell he's a bullying jerk but saving him was the right thing to do then Naruto paused for a moment before speaking again if it would have been a Gryffindor I still would have jumbed in front of that hippogriff

They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinnertime hoping to see Hagrid, but he wasn't there

"Ill see you guys in class tomorrow and with that Naruto walked away from the three Gryffindors Harry was watching him walk over to the Slytherin table where a large group were huddled together deep in conversation

"Hey everybody said Naruto once he had sat down at the table

"Naruto your alive called out Millicent yeah of course I am

"Oh Naruto that was so brave how you saved Draco and the rest of dinner was spent with him telling all the Slytherin that hadn't been at the Care of Magical Creatures class how he had saved Draco form being ripped to shreds the only ones not gathered around the blond where Draco Crab and Goyle who kept on shooting dark looks at Naruto from across the table by the time Naruto was back in his dormitory getting ready for bed everyone in Slytherin know about what he had done

"Think you're so great don't you Looking round Naruto saw that it was Draco who had called out to him telling everyone how you saved me he spat out

"Well yeah i kind of did obviously said Naruto he couldn't believe what he was had saved Draco only a few hours ago

"the least you e was say thank can do is say thank you Naruto said smugly this was the last straw for Draco he tried to reach for his wand fire off a curse an art but this proved to be a bigger mistake then insulting a hippogriff in one quick motion Naruto happy to be able to grab a hand that was reaching for the one and twisted behind Draco's back unfortunately Naruto must have put a little too straight into it because instead of disarming Draco he ended up braking his arm all six boys heard a sickening crack

"Awwwaaaaa then the next thing Draco was on the floor howling in pain his right arm hanging uselessly at his side in an odd angle

Crap was all Naruto could say


	6. Chapter 6

"tell me Naruto why did you brake Mr. Malfoys arm?" Asked Dumbledore as he looked down at the blond teen through his half-moon spectacles. Once again Naruto found himself inside the headmaster office, he had been brought by Snape after they had left Draco in the hospital wing with Madame Pomfrey. Snape was standing beside Dumbledore desk also looking over at Naruto.

"I didn't mean to it was an accident you have to believe me, Albus," said Naruto, today was his first day of wizards' school and he might already be getting explained.

"Headmaster perhaps a trained assassin isn't the best candidate for a student," said Snape.

"Severus." Dumbledore said warningly "Naruto why don't you tell me what happened?" asked Dumbledore and so Naruto recanted the night events that lead to Draco's arm being broken.

"I see." Dumbledore finally said once Naruto was finished "A simple misunderstanding."

"Headmaster you can't just let this boy off like." but Snape was stopped when Dumbledore raised a hand to him.

"However, given your past education something must be done, so I will say this once." Dumbledore was now looking very seriously at him.

"Naruto if you harm another student, I will be forced to remove you from this school, so I ask you not to give me a reason to do so." Dumbledore finished saying.

"So, I'm not in trouble asked Naruto sheepishly you will have a week's detention with Professor Snape now, Professor Snape will escort you back to your dormitory," said Dumbledore the news of him not being expel made up for his week detention.

"Headmaster if I could have a word in private with you," said Snape as he nodded his head towards Naruto.

"Very well Naruto, if you could wait out, said in the corridor for Professor Snape." Not saying another word Naruto just leaves the room. Going out to the corridor to wait for his head of house Naruto didn't have to wait long before Snape came down the spiraling stone steps that lead to Dumbledore's office looking very displeased about something.

"Come along boy," he told Naruto as he led them back to the Slytherin common room. They walked in silence all the way from Dumbledore's office sound of many magical staircases, through several corridors back down, and the marble staircase. They then went through the dungeon until they finally reached the entrance of the Slytherin common.

"Consider yourself lucky you were not expelled this evening Uzumaki, now off to bed, I will deal with you in the morning." and with that Naruto watch as Professor, Snape black robs disappeared into the darkness of the dungeons. Naruto let out a sigh relief he did consider himself lucky that he hasn't been expelled. Say the password watching the wall move aside Naruto step through, the whole of Slytherin house was there all gathered around waiting and talking excitedly amongst themselves. It was clear to Naruto that they all knew what must have happened and before the wall behind him could even close he was bombarded with questions.

"did you really break Draco's arm." Pansy Parkinson asked him.

"Yes, but it was an accident Naruto tried to say.

"Are you expelled." a first-year asked.

"No," said Naruto moves past everybody heading toward his dormitory. That night Naruto did not sleepy, Yuna, on the other hand, was still asleep on his robes at the foot of his bed. The following morning at breakfast the whole school was talking about how Naruto had jumped in front of a raging hippogriff and saved Draco Malfoy.

However, by dinner time everyone was talking about how Draco was in the hospital with a broken arm which he had revived by none other than Naruto Uzumaki.

"So, it's true then." Ron had asked him.

"You really did break that little git's arm." Harry, Ron, and Hermione had left the Gryffindor table to catch up with Naruto after dinner.

"Yes, but it was an accident," Naruto told them as they moved out of the entrance hall and into an empty room on the ground floor.

"Who cares that's brilliant," Ron said excitedly to which Harry agreed, Hermione, on the other hand, wasn't as enthusiastic as the two Gryffindor boys.

"Naruto's lucky he didn't get explained," she told them, an so Naruto recanted last night events to them

"That slimy git Snape, I thought he was supposed to show Slytherins favoritism. said Ron

"it sounds like he hates you as much as me," said Harry

"Oh, Naruto Dumbledore is right you mustn't do anything rash for the rest of the year." she looked worried most of all.

"Yeah don't worry I know Hermione." Said Naruto and for the next few days passed by very uneventful that it until his potions class. Malfoy didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions. He swaggered into the dungeon, his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling, acting,

"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?"

"Yeah," said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace. But Naruto saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away. Walking away form his table Naruto moved to were Malfoy was standing near Harry and Ron's table

"Hey Draco, sorry about the arm." Naruto said as he extended out his right hand to the blond, Draco was hesitant but finally after noticing everyone in the class he finally took Naruto's outstretched hand and shook it.

"Settle down, settle down," said Professor Snape idly. They were making a new potion today, a Shrinking Solution. Looking up from his table Naruto saw that Draco was set up his cauldron right next to Harry and Ron so that they were preparing their ingredients on the same table.

"Sir," Malfoy called, "Sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm —"

"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," said Snape without looking up. Ron went brick red

"What's he playing at now," Hermione said looking over to her Naruto wondered what she was talking about

"Malfoy he's up to something, Now let move on to the next step." She told Naruto and together they continued to prepare the remainder of their ingredients together.

"Next we need to cut the daisy roots." Hermione instructed him just then they could hear Ron's angry voice.

"But, sir — !" looking up from his caldron again Naruto saw Professor Snape standing over Harry and Ron's table.

"Now," said Snape in his most dangerous voice. Ron shoved his own beautifully cut roots across the table at Malfoy, then took up the knife again.

"And, sir, I'll need this shrivelfig skinned," said Malfoy, his voice full of malicious laughter

"Alright that should do it, now we add the last of the ingredients." Hermione said and Naruto did as she instructed him to due

"You know the first time Severus told me what potions class was, I told him it sounded like cooking." Naruto told Hermione under his breath, this caused Hermione to brake out in to a fit of giggles.

"Orange, Longbottom," said Snape, ladling some up and allowing it to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see.

"Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one rat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?" Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears.

"Please, sir," said Hermione, "please, I could help Neville put it right —"

"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," said Snape coldly, and Hermione went as pink as Neville the way Snape was treating his friends was really stating to get the blond man

"Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly." Snape moved away, leaving Neville breathless with fear.

"Help me!" he moaned to Hermione.

"I'll cover you from Severus, you help Neville." Naruto whispered to Hermione as he moved to block her from Snape's view.

"You should have finished adding your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's" Crabbe and Goyle laughed openly, watching Neville sweat as he stirred his potion feverishly. Hermione was muttering instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth, so that Snape wouldn't see Naruto blocked her from his view as best as he could. The end of the lesson in sight, Snape strode over to Neville, who was cowering by his cauldron.

"Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering,

"and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned."

The Gryffindors watched fearfully. The Slytherins looked excited. Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion, which was now green. He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat. There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped; then there was a small pop, and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm. The Gryffindors burst into applause. Snape, looking sour, pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, poured a few drops on top of Trevor, and he reappeared suddenly, fully grown.

"Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face.

"What about Naruto he was helping Neville too." Called out Ron angrily

"I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed, Uzumaki you stay." As the rest of the class finished putting there things away Naruto just moved towards Snape's desk telling Harry, Ron, and Hermione he would see them in class.

"What's up Severus?" Asked Naruto wondering what his head of house wanted with him.

"Frist, you will call me Professor Snape, Now the Headmaster may have seen fit you place you with Miss Granger. This dose not permit you to disobey any orders I give her I'm I clear." Snape said looking at the blond from his behind his desk.

"Crystal clear." Naruto said stating get angry at the way Snape was treating his friends.

"Good, now you will report to Filch in the great hall tonight after dinner so that you may begin your weeks detention." Snape said as he dismissed Naruto from the classroom. Making his way out of the dungeons Naruto headed up the marble staircase for his next class. Professor Lupin wasn't there when he arrived at his first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, but the rest of the class we're already there. And looking around Naruto saw that Hermione had saved him a seat next to her. Sitting down, he took out his book, quill, and parchment.

"So, what did Snape want?" asked Harry who was sitting with Ron at the next table.

"Oh, he was just telling me my detention starts tonight with Filch." and they all talked when Lupin finally entered the room. Lupin smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."

A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."

Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum. Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.

"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin —" Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers.

"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms." However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin's words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry. Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand.

"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."

He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "Waddiwasi!" and pointed it at Peeves. With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing.

"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement.

"Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?" They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.

"Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back. The staffroom, a long, paneled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty except for one teacher. Snape was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in. His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth. As Professor Lupin came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said,

"Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this." He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said,

"Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss. Granger or Mr. Uzumaki is hissing instructions in his ear." Neville went scarlet. Naruto glared at Snape Professor Lupin had raised his eyebrows.

"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably." Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap.

"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.

"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm.

"There's a boggart in there." Most people seemed to feel that this was something to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively.

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin.

"Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks — I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice.

"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a boggart?" Hermione put up her hand.

"It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed.

"So, the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears.

"This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small sputter of terror,

"that we have a huge advantage over the boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?" Trying to answer a question with Hermione next to him, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air, was very off-putting, but Harry had a go.

"Er — because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"

"Precisely," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione put her hand down, looking a little disappointed. "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a boggart make that very mistake — tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening.

"The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.

"We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please . . . riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" said the class together.

"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville." The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.

"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?" Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.

"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper,

"Professor Snape." Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.

"Professor Snape . . . hmmm . . . Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Er — yes," said Neville nervously. "But — I don't want the boggart to turn into her either."

"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?" Neville looked startled, but said,

"Well . . . always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress . . . green, normally . . . and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."

"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin.

"A big red one," said Neville.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"

"Yes," said Neville uncertainly, plainly wondering what was coming next. "When the boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin.

"And you will raise your wand — thus — and cry 'Riddikulus' — and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag." There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently

"If Neville is successful, the boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin

"I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical. . . ." The room went quiet. Naruto thought . . . What scared him most in the world? His first thought was of a ghost. However, as much as he disliked ghost that wasn't the thing that scared him most in the world. Naruto already knows the answer to that question, and it wasn't ghost. Being alone, the worst thing that had ever been done to him back when he lived in the hidden leaf village, apart from the beatings he received. Beatings he could take thanks to his fast healing. No for Naruto the worst was when no one notice or acknowledged him at all, most of his life had been everyone just forgetting he even around. Naruto had become so fixated on thinking of his past he had been completely caught off guard when he was called up to face the boggart.

"Naruto" said Professor Lupin. Naruto stepped forward as a legless spider rolled around the floor.

 _Crack_!

Every looked around expecting to see what Naruto's fear would be, but nothing was there at all everyone looked around the room wondering if his fear was just out of sight.

"Here!" shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward.

Crack!

For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said, "Riddikulus!" almost lazily.

Crack!

"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" said Lupin as the boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach. Crack! Snape was back. This time Neville charged forward looking determined.

"Riddikulus!" he shouted, and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great "Ha!" of laughter, and the boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.

"Excellent!" cried Professor Lupin as the class broke into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone. . . . Let me see . . . five points to Gryffindor and Slytherin for every person to tackle the boggart — ten for Neville because he did it twice . . . and five each to Hermione and Harry."

"But I didn't do anything," said Harry.

"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start

of the class, Harry," Lupin said lightly. "Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework kindly read the chapter on boggarts and summarize it for me . . . to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."

I wonder why Professor Lupin's frightened of crystal balls?" said Lavender thoughtfully.

"What about Naruto his boggart didn't turn in to anything, he must not be afraid of anything." Said Neville in awe. Naruto chose not to correct him or the rest of the class as they stated to speak about him being fearless.

"That was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?" said Ron excitedly as they made their way back to the classroom to get their bags.

"He seems like a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly.

"But I wish I could have had a turn with the boggart —"

"What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?" Later that evening after dinner had finished and everyone had returned to there common rooms for the night Naruto along with Yuna made their way towards the entrance hall Filch was already there.

"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes . . . hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me. . . . It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out . . . hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed. . . . Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do." They marched off across the dark grounds. Yuna hopped up the back of his robes so that she was sitting on his shoulders.

Naruto wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted. The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness.

after a few minutes of walking in silence they finally reached the front of the Herbology greenhouses.

"alright" Filch said putting down his lamp down "Professor Sprout's vegetable patch had been getting dug-up the past few night, so its your job to find wha'evers been do'in it." Filch told him as he picked his lamp back up off the ground and stated to head back to the school.

"I'll be back at midnight for you." He called back to Naruto over his shoulder.

"What am I supposed to do if I find something?" Naruto asked

"Use your imagination boy." Filch told him as a nasty smile spread across his face. Naruto turned back towards the greenhouses as he pulled out his wand and ignited the tip.

" _ **Lumos."**_ Naruto called out as he pointed the beam of light that shoot out form his wand in front of him. Looking around the ground and walking over the vegetable patch, Naruto pointed the light around the disturbed earth and clearly saw what looked like some animal tracks."

"Hmm. . . . what do you think Yuna a dog maybe?" Naruto asked to kitten as he bends down and took a closer look at the tracks. Yuna only meowed loudly as if to confirm Naruto's theory about what could be eating the plants. Naruto would spend the next hour or so walking around the greenhouses trying to find any kind of sign of the culprit. Just when it looked like he wouldn't have any luck tonight a loud twig snapping not too far off broke the silence of the night.

"Yuna go." Naruto called out and as the small white cat hopped of his shoulder and took off running Naruto was close behind. Quickly they moved pass the greenhouses and were rearing the edge of the forbidden forest. Not braking for a second Naruto ran in after his cat his wand pointed high in the air.

"What is it girl?" Naruto asked his cat but stopped when he saw what Yuna had found there just a few feet away from him lying on the cold forest ground Naruto's wand light fell on the skeleton thin form of an unconscious man, dressed in torn rags. His long-matted hair and thick beard concealed most of his face.


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey are you alright?" Naruto asked as he slowly approached the body, but the man didn't answer at all. Not even when Naruto gave him a few pokes in the face and a nudge on the shoulder he was passed out.

"Man, what am I supposed to do now?" Naruto asked himself as he rolled the man over on to his back, so that he could get a better look at his sunken face. Just then a weak groan of pain escaped the man's lips, which caused Naruto to jump back a bit in fright.

"Your alive, hey hold on ok ill go get help from the castle just don't die." Naruto told the man as he began to get up, he was stopped when the man had reached a hand up to grab a hold of his robes.

"No. . . . can't. . . . go. . . . school. . . . dementors. . . . find me." He croaked out, it sounded like he hadn't used his voice in a long time. Before Naruto had any time to consider what the man had told him a glowing lamp light could be seen coming down from the school. Filch had come to bring him back to the school, but Naruto didn't know what to do. Looking back and forth Naruto considered telling Filch he had just found a man. However, he didn't want the Dementors involved from everything he had been told about them they sounded horrible.

Filch was now only a few yards away and moving closer to him looking back to Filch and then to the man Naruto saw a look of silent terror and pleading in his eyes.

"Stay here, I'll be back in the morning." Naruto told the man as he took off his school robe and tossed it over the man to conceal him from sight. Quickly moving out of the trees Naruto made it to the edge of the forest just as Filch had reached the tree line.

"Where have you been?" Filched asked as Naruto came to a stop in front of him. "and where is your cloak?"

"I left it in the forest. . . . it got to much blood on it" Naruto said thinking quickly as Filch started to lift his lamp to shine a light past Naruto.

"Good then looks like I'll have to find something new for you to do tomorrow night, now come on." Filch told him. Once his back was turned Naruto let out a sigh of relief as he looked back over his shoulder at where he had left the man under his cloak, Naruto hoped he would make it through the night. The following morning Naruto awoke early like he always did and quickly dressing as the rest of his dorm mates slept, he moved through the dungeons and in to the great hall. The enchanted sky above the hall was still dark but luckily for Naruto the tables were already set with food for breakfast.

"Perfect." Naruto said as he headed over the Slytherin table and reaching for a plate he piled it high with food. Leaving the hall and heading out the front doors of the castle, Naruto moved down the grounds and passed the greenhouses till he reached the edge of the forest. Moving through the trees, after a few minutes he finally reached the spot form last night and there on the ground he spotted his cloak.

"Hey mister I brought you something to eat." Naruto called out as he placed the plate of food on the ground and pulling back his cloak, he saw that instead of a man there was a large shaggy black dog.

"What the?" Naruto asked outload wondering what happened to them man. Suddenly the dogs eyes shot open and he lept form the ground and at the plate of food, knocking Naruto back as it moved passed him. Naruto watched in amazement as the dog turned in to the man from last night right before his very eyes. Naruto was too shock to speak as the man wolfed down the large plate of food.

"Kid you're a real-life saver." The man finally said as he finished off the last of the scrambled egg and bacon.

"Who the hell are you anyway?" Naruto asked as he dusted himself off after getting up form the ground.

"Did you tell anyone about me?" the man asked." Does anyone up at the castle know I'm here." The was a look of panic in his eyes as he turned to face Naruto.

"What? No you said not to remember." Naruto told him wonder what was going on with this guy.

"Good. . . . that's good I suppose you must have wanted that reward for yourself, this will make things easier." The man said under his breath.

"Reward what are you talking about?" the guy must really be crazy Naruto told himself wonder what was going on with the man.

"Don't you know who I am boy." The man asked incredulously.

"Yeah you're some kind of magic bum." Naruto said matter-o-factly. This caused the man to brake out in to a thunderous laugh that sounded like a bark.

"magic bum, that is a new one, no I am Sirius Black." Whatever reaction Sirius Black was expecting from the blond boy to just nod his head in agreement.

"Ok Sirius Black, I'm Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto said introducing himself to the man as well, thinking back the name did sound familiar. Sirius just looked at him for a moment wondering if he was being serious.

"So, Sirius, why are you sleeping outside in the forest, and why didn't you want me to tell anyone about you." Naruto asked as he took his wand out and pointed it at the man, not that it would do him any good given the fact that he had yet to learn a single jinx or hex.

"I've broke out of Azkaban and now I'm trying to get the rat responsible for the death of my best friend and his wife, so that I can see my godson safe." Sirius said as he looked the blond teen dead in the eyes

"What's Azkaban and why where you there?" Naruto asked remembering Dumbledore saying something about the Dementors being from there.

"Wizards Prison, I was framed for murder." Sirius Said

"who's the rat?" Naruto asked again

"Rat is really a man named Peter Pettigrew he's an animagus, he's the one that framed me." Sirius said, animagus Naruto remembered Minerva's lesson about them the other day. they were witches and wizards that could turn in to an animal on will.

"Who's your godson." Naruto asked, at this Sirius hesitated to answer, but finally gave in

"Harry Potter." Sirius said seriously. At this new piece of information Naruto had to take a moment to think

"Man, this is heavy." Naruto said as he put his wand away and started to rub his forehead trying to rap his mind around what he was just told. Sirius seemed to relax a bit seeing that he wasn't being jinxed.

"Alright, so why don't I just tell Harry the truth about the rat." Naruto asked thinking of the simplest solution.

"Because they won't believe you unless you have proof, it's a complicated spell to force a wizard out of his Animagus form." and the rest of his morning was spent with Sirius telling him everything that happened after Peter was made the secret keeper for the Potter's to his brake out of Azkaban. In turn Naruto told Sirius everything about himself.

"Alright I'll try to find a way to get you in to Gryffindor tower, in the mean time just stay hidden in the forest alright." Naruto told Sirius as he left the forest in order to head back to the castle for classes.

"Why are you helping me." Sirius asked wondering about the Slytherin boy's true intentions

"Because I believe you, and Harry is my friend." Naruto simply said and so with his new mission in mind Naruto continued to go to his classes every day along with his tutoring with Hermione and occasionally Ron and Harry. He would still wake up early in the morning every day only this time he would be feeding Sirius, also taking him food after lunch and dinner when possible. These visits where short, but Sirius still enjoyed having another person to talk to. As for Naruto's classes in no time at all, Defense Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favorite class. Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin.

"Look at the state of his robes," Malfoy would say in a loud whisper as Professor Lupin passed. "He dresses like our old house elf." But no one else cared that Professor Lupin's robes were patched and frayed. His next few lessons were just as interesting as the first. After boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblinlike creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps they moved on to kappas, creepy water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds. As for potions Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days, and no one was in any doubt why.

The story of the boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes, had traveled through the school like wildfire. Snape didn't seem to find it funny. His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Professor Lupin's name. As for Divination Naruto like Harry, Ron and Hermione thought that the class was a joke.

Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action-packed first class, had become extremely dull. Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence.

"Why would anyone bother looking after them?" said Ron, after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the flobberworms' slimy throats. At the start of October Naruto was still no closer to getting in to Gryffindor tower much to Sirius's frustrations.

"look, it's now as easy as you would think ok, I've almost got it ok I just need some more time." Naruto told Sirius on one chilly October evening after bringing him his meal and a thick winter cloak he was able to take out of the staff room.

"We'll just have to keep trying then." Sirius said as he looked over his plan once again, he was grateful for Naruto's help he would just have to keep faith in the boy.

"I got to go, but don't worry we'll get that rat." Naruto said as he started to make his way back to the castle. Naruto returned to the Slytherin common room he found it buzzing excitedly.

"What's happened?" he asked Blaise and Theodore, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy.

"First Hogsmeade weekend," said Pansy, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween." Naruto went to bed excited of the possibility of going to Hogsmeade village. From what everyone had told him it sounded amazing. The next day Naruto learned about what had happened the night before with Hermione's cat and Ron's rat. Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, Harry, and Hermione were working together on the same puffapod.

"How's Scabbers?" Hermione asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail.

"He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor. This was good news for Naruto, one the rat was still alive and two it was still in Gryffindor tower.

"Careful, Weasley, careful!" cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes.

They had Transfiguration next. Harry, who had resolved to ask Professor McGonagall after the lesson whether he could go into Hogsmeade with the rest, joined the line outside the class trying to decide how he was going to argue his case with the help of Naruto. Naruto was distracted, however, by a disturbance at the front of the line. Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious.

"What's the matter, Lavender?" said Hermione anxiously as she, Harry, Naruto and Ron went to join the group.

"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."

"Oh," said Hermione, "I'm sorry, Lavender."

"I should have known!" said Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?"

"Er —"

"The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!"

"Wait it's the sixteenth already?" Naruto asked in astonishment. "Wow." He told himself a small smile spreading across his face.

"Why what so important about the day?" asked Harry looking over at his blond friend.

"I've been thirteen for six days already." Naruto said completely forgetting about his birthday. Just then Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other, and when they got into class, Naruto took a seat next to Hermione as Ron seated himself on the other side of Harry and they didn't talk to each other for the whole class. when the bell rang at the end of the lesson Professor McGonagall addressed the class.

"One moment, please!" she called as the class made to leave. "As most of you are in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!" Neville put up his hand.

"Please, Professor, I — I think I've lost —"

"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave."

"Ask her now," Naruto could hear Ron hiss at Harry.

"Oh, but —" Hermione began trying to step in, but Harry just moved forward as Naruto, Ron, and Hermione went to go wait outside the classroom. There was nothing to be done. Once Harry came out and let them know what Professor McGonagall had told him, Ron called Professor McGonagall a lot of names that greatly annoyed Hermione; Hermione assumed an "all-for-the-best" expression that made Ron even angrier, and Harry had to endure everyone in the class talking loudly and happily about what they were going to do first, once they got into Hogsmeade.

"Will you get to go to Hogsmeade Naruto." Hermione asked

"I have no idea, honestly." Naruto told her as they headed down to the great hall for dinner. Once finished with his dinner Naruto walked over to the head table where Snape was talking with Professor Dumbledore.

"Hey Albus, Hey Severus." Naruto said once he had reached them.

"Good evening Naruto, how are you finding your classes." Dumbledore asked kindly, as he took a drink from his goblet.

"There going great, having Hermione around has been a big help." Naruto said, "So Minerva just told us about Hogsmeade, and I was wondering if I will be able to go." Naruto asked hopefully.

"Yes, your situation is a unique one, but do not fear I see no reason why you can't enjoy the village with the rest of the third years." Dumbledore told him happily.

"Great thanks." And with that Naruto walked out of the Great Hall, he ran in to Harry, Ron, and Hermione near the marble staircase.

"Hey guys, Dumbledore just told me I can go to Hogsmeade." Naruto said Happily to his friends.

"Oh, that's wonderful Naruto, you can come along with me and Ron." Hermione told him, at the sound of this Naruto got a big grin on his face. Much to the dismay of Harry who would be the odd man out.

"There's always the feast," said Ron, in an effort to cheer Harry up. "You know, the Halloween feast, in the evening."

"Yeah," said Harry gloomily, "great." at Naruto's confused look he was informed by Hermione of the annual Halloween feast. On Halloween morning, Naruto awoke bright and early to take Sirius his daily ration of food only this time Naruto was rushing down the school grounds because last night he had a stroke of genius.

"Padfoot you here?" Naruto called out and after a moment a large black dog came out of the trees. As Sirius took his human form and started eating. Over the past few weeks of regular food Sirius was starting to look more and more like his old self.

"Sirius, listen to night where going to get you in to the castle."

"The Halloween feast, everyone will be in the great hall." Sirius said understanding Naruto's plan.

"Kit, that's brilliant. So, what's the plan." Sirius asked as he finished eating the food brought to him. and so, Naruto laid out his master plan. Once Naruto was done, he took off back to the castle and stepped through the front door right as Harry, Ron, and Hermione where saying good bye to each other.

"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for him.

"Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Harry's difficulties

"Don't worry about me," said Harry, in what he hoped was an offhand voice, "I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time" Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.

"Staying here, Potter?" shouted Malfoy, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the dementors?" However, he stopped once they saw Naruto looking over at them.

"Hey Harry, you guys ready to go." Called out Naruto as he walked up to the three Gryffindor's. and as they said their final goodbyes Naruto, Ron and Hermione took off with the rest of the students down the school lawns towards the main gates. Once they finally reached the gates Naruto got his first look at the dreaded Dementors he kept on hearing about. Instantly he started to feel an unnatural cold wash over him as they pass the gliding things, who were hovering closed to the gates trying to fight the urge to swoop down upon them all. Luckily for them the Dementors where being kept at bay by the presents of Albus Dumbledore.

"Is that them. the Dementors." Naruto told Hermione as the passed through the gate and moved up the lane that laed to Hogsmeade Village, her only response was a curt nod. The Dementors looked like humans, but unlike any Naruto had ever seen they were 10 feet high and covered in dark hooded cloaks of long ripped black cloth, making them closely resemble wraiths. He didn't see any feet, but their hands were greyed and decayed looking, like a decomposing corpse

"I can see why Sirius left Azkaban." Naruto said to himself as the made there way up the road.

"What did you say." Hermione asked sharply, at this Naruto realized he had spoken to loudly.

"Oh, I mean that man Sirius Black, he must have left prison to get away from those things, right." Naruto told her offhandedly hopping she would believe him. Luckily for Naruto he was saved any further explanation thanks to Ron.

"Look you two." Ron called out excitedly as they finally reached the village. Hogsmeade was made up of little thatched cottages and shops were all over there were carved jack-o-lanterns on the sides of doors and strings of enchanted black candles hanging in the trees giving off a ghostly blue light. All up and down the main high-street Naruto could see Hogwarts students busily moving about from shop to shop.

"So where should we go first?" Naruto asked and together the three of them started to explore the village. They when in side almost all the shops there was Dervish and Banges a helpful shop that sells and repairs some magical instruments, Dogweed and Deathcap a Herbology shop, Gladrags Wizardwear a clothing shop that also sells very lurid socks, including ones that scream when they get too smelly.

Next, they when to the Hogsmeade Post Office there where owls sitting hooting softly down at them, at least three hundred of them; from Great Grays right down to tiny little Scops owls ("Local Deliveries Only"), which were so small they could have sat in the palm of Naruto's hand. Then they visited Zonko's, which was so packed with students there were jokes and tricks to fulfill even the Weasley twins wildest dreams. They left Zonko's Naruto and Ron's pockets bulging with Dungbombs, Hiccup Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, and a Nose-Biting Teacup apiece.

The last shop they visited was Honeydukes, a sweet shop. Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students. There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-colored toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavor Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizbees, the levitating sherbert balls that Ron had mentioned; along yet another wall were "Special Effects" sweets: Drooble's Best Blowing Gum (which filled a room with bluebell-colored bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps ("breathe fire for your friends!"), Ice Mice ("hear your teeth chatter and squeak!"), peppermint creams shaped like toads ("hop realistically in the stomach!"), fragile sugar-spun quills, and exploding bonbons.

"Bloody hell, this place is amazing". Ron said out loud and he, Naruto, and Hermione had a good long time carefully looking around the shop at all the sweets. Naruto ended up buying a dozen black Pepper Imps thinking to himself breathing fire could come in hand. Once finished the three friends turned their attention to the last stop in their trip. So, they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the Three Broomsticks. It was a tiny inn which was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky. A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlocks up at the bar.

"Come on you two let's get a table." Hermione said as she let the two boys to the only open table left in the room. where there was a small, vacant table between the window which was next to the fireplace. A few minutes later they were approached by the woman who had been standing behind the bar.

"Welcome my dears, how can I get you started?" She asked looking around at them happily.

"Three butterbeers, please." Hermione ordered for them, the witch walked away with their order and retuned moments latter carrying thee large tankards filled with hot butterbeer.

"here you go, and if there's anything else you might need just ask Madam Rosmerta." She told as she walked off to take another order.

"Cheers." Naruto called out as he lifted his tankard and drank deeply. It was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside

"So, why are you stuck with all those snakes? you seem decent enough." asked Ron after he had put down his butterbeer, at his question Hermione gave him a sharp jab in his side with her elbow.

"Ron." Hermione said disapprovingly "there's nothing wrong with being a Slytherin Naruto." She reassured her friend.

"It's not bad really, almost everyone is a lot nicer ever since I broke Draco's arm." At this Ron laugh and Naruto explained what Theodore Nott, and Blaise Zabini had told him about Slytherin's only sucking up to Draco because of his family name.

"So, they can't be all bad then?" Hermione asked as she thought of why Naruto was place in Slytherin when he clearly showed all the qualities of a Gryffindor.

"Well the way I see it, the greatest wizard in history was a Slytherin, so it can't be that bad." Naruto said happily as he took another drink form his butterbeer, however Ron started to choke on his butterbeer at the blonds words.

"wha' chu-mean." Ron demanded Hermione too was giving Naruto a studying look.

"Haven't you guys ever heard of Merlin, Dumbledore told me he was a Slytherin." Naruto told them it took a moment for this to register with Ron, but Hermione nodded her head in agreement.

"That's right, did you know the Order of Merlin first class is green in honor if his Slytherin root, I read about it in Hogwarts a History." And so, the rest of the rest of their time in the Three Broomsticks was spent with each of them taking it in turn to talk about themselves, with a three of them becoming better friends.

The sun was stating to go down when they finally decided to head back to the school, Naruto being generous and paying for their butterbeers. Once back in the castle they parted ways and Naruto returned to the Slytherin common room so that he could deposit his things before heading up to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. His room was empty say for Yuna who was sleeping atop his pillow.

Returning to the dungeons and back out to the entrance hall Naruto Moved in to the Great hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes. The food was delicious; even with his stomach full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, he managed second helpings of everything. Naruto glanced up at the staff table and around the hall waiting from the right moment to move out.

With the skills that allowed him to sneak around a village while wearing a bright orange jumpsuit. Naruto silently moved out the hall unseen and headed for the entrance hall doors. Naruto pulled out his wand and pointed it at the door's locks.

" _ **Alohomora"**_ there was the sound of a loud click as the doors swung open

"thank you, Hermione." Naruto thought to himself as he finished performing one of the first spells his friend had taught him. Stepping outside Naruto stepped outside, pointed his wand in the air, and fired off several large red sparks before turning back in to the castle. Moving back in to the Great Hall and rejoining the Slytherins Naruto continued the rest of the feast hoping Sirius would be successful in his mission.


	8. Chapter 8

The following day Naruto would learn what had happened on Halloween night at Gryffindor Tower as he did his morning food delivery.

"What happened?" Naruto asked a frustrated Sirius who was eating his food

"The portrait wouldn't let me in." He said bitterly as he refused to look up from his food.

"So, you just slash it to pieces. Things are going to get a lot harder now." Naruto said, the front door would no longer be an option in getting in to the school.  
"Don't worry there is more then one way to get inside Hogwarts, you just focus on getting the password this time." Sirius told the blond roughly

"Well excuse me, I thought if you could get out of Azkaban, getting in to Gryffindor Tower would be a piece of cake." Naruto shot back. The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder; Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, spent much of their next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a flowering shrub.

The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat gray pony. Nobody was very happy about this. Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day. In short things weren't looking good for Naruto and Sirius.

"Padfoot I think you need to get out a bit." Naruto said one day during lunch.

"Look why don't you go see Harry's Quidditch match." Naruto was trying to think of something that would take the man's mind off the fact that for the past few weeks they weren't any closer to getting the password in to Gryffindor, thanks to Sir Cadogan changing the password every day.

"What position dose Harry play." Sirius asked happily.

"He's the seeker." Naruto told him and he watched as a bright smile filled Sirius's face

"Just like James, you know Harry's father was the Gryffindor seeker too." Sirius told Naruto as he remembered his best friend. The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder than ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. The Slytherin team was looking very smug indeed, and none more so than Malfoy.

"Ah, if only my arm was feeling a bit better!" he sighed as the gale outside pounded the windows. When Naruto, Ron and Hermione walked in to Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom they were surprised to see Professor Lupin wasn't behind his desk like normal.

"Severus, are you lost this isn't potions." Naruto said trying to sound helpful, however Snape didn't take it that way. As a few Gryffindor's started to snicker a bit

"Five points from Gryffindor." Snape said looking over at Dean. "I am well aware this isn't potions Uzumaki, now take you seat." Snape spat coldly at the blond

"Now Professor Lupin is unable to teach so I have been asked to fill in." Snape said sounding as though he hoped Lupin would stay that way. "And due to his lack of a lesson plan there is no way of knowing what this class has been taught. Just then the door to the classroom opened revealing Harry.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin, I —"

"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down." But Harry didn't move.

"Where's Professor Lupin?" he said.

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile. "I believe I told you to sit down?" But Harry stayed where he was.

"What's wrong with him?" Snape's black eyes glittered.

"Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though he wished it were. "Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty." Harry walked slowly to his seat and sat down. Snape looked around at the class.

"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far —"

"Please, sir, we've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas, and grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start —"v "Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."

"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean Thomas boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked more menacing than ever.

"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you — I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and grindylows. Today we shall discuss —" Naruto watched him flick through the textbook, to the very back chapter, which he must know they hadn't covered.

"— werewolves," said Snape.

"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself,

"we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start hinkypunks—"

"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again.

"All of you! Now!" With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books.

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape. Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it so often did, had shot straight into the air.

"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between —"

"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on —"

"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are. . . ."

"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf —"

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all." Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. At this Naruto lost it. It was one thing to be a jerk all the time, but no one made his friends cry. As his anger already on the rise from Snape's constant belittlement of his friends, it finally reached the boiling point.

Suddenly the window closes to the teaches desk exploded outward, causing the whole class to call out in shock.  
"Naruto, stop it." Hermione called out in a slight panic and looking over Snape saw Naruto was shaking in silent fury in his seat. The most shocking thing was that for a moment the blond teens typical blue eyes had flashed scarlet.

"Uzumaki, report to the Headmasters office." Snape said as he pulled out his wand and repaired the broken window with a wave. However, Naruto didn't move from his spot but instead continued to look at Snape in anger.

"Now!" Snape called out, but it wasn't till Hermione placed a hand on Naruto's arm did the blond finally calm down and silently gathering his things he left the room. It was a short walk to the Headmasters office. Once he reached the stone griffin that hid the winding stair case. Naruto said the password, and when nothing happened, he shrugged his shoulders and stated to walk away that is till someone called out to him. Looking round Naruto saw who had called .

"Oh, hey Albus." Naruto said as he waited for the headmaster to reach him.

"Shouldn't you be in class." Dumbledore asked

"Yeah about that, well you see Severus told me to come see you." Naruto said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Ah, I seen then. Why don't we continue this conversation in my office?" Dumbledore said as he spoke the password and they watched as the stone griffin moved aside and revealed the spiral staircase that led to the Headmasters office. Once inside the office Dumbledore took a seat behind his desk and Naruto took one in front of the desk.

"So why don't you tell me what happened?" Dumbledore asked as he looked over at Naruto, and so Naruto explained what had happened in Defense Against the Dark Arts with Snape and Hermione. When he was finally done Dumbledore let out a deep sigh.

"I see, so after Professor Snape's cruel remark to Miss Granger your anger got the best of you and it appears you preformed accidental magic." Dumbledore said "I see no reason for punishment, but I must ask that you try to control your anger. Magic is a powerful force, but it is once emotions that can strengthen one's magic." Naruto nodded his head in understanding

"It's just that Severus was being a complete jerk. Why ask a question if he didn't want an answer." Naruto said at this Dumbledore only nodded his head.

"I understand Naruto and I will be having a word with Professor Snape soon." And with that

Naruto left the Headmasters office and started to make his way down to dinner, but he suddenly stopped once he had reached the second-floor landing. He could hear the sound of loud laughing then the sound of a loud bang and two high pitch yells.

Moving farther in to the corridor Naruto came upon the source of the commotion. Standing round in a small group where three upper class Ravenclaw boys had encircled two girls a blond and a redhead. The redhead he instantly recognized as Ron's younger sister Ginny the blond behind her he had never seen before.

"Hey, what the Hell are you doing." Naruto called out as the three boys stopped inching closer to the girls.  
"None of your concern, so why don't you slither back to your hole snake." The tall dark-haired boy in the middle called out over his shoulder.  
"Naruto! these prats where picking on my friend." Ginny called out and this was all the explanation Naruto need as he pulled out his wand.

"What's a single ki-" the Ravenclaw didn't get a chance to finished what he was going to say.

" _ **Incendio"**_ Naruto cried out and before the three older boys had time to react, they were blasted away from Ginny and her friend by several watermelon size fireballs that had erupted from Naruto's wand tip. They hit the cold stone floor a few yards away their robes scorched and smoking

"Come on you two let's go, I don't think they will be getting up any time soon." Naruto said grinning wildly as he, Ginny and her friend headed back down the corridor towards the main staircase.

"Thanks Naruto, this is Luna by the way, Luna Lovegood." Ginny said as she made introductions

"Hi Luna, I'm Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto said as he smiled over at the small dreamy faced blond. Luna for her part was having a bit of a time at trying to talk to him as she kept on looking everywhere but at him.

"So, what did those guys do?" Naruto asked as Ginny told him of how Luna's house mates teased and picked on her for being different, like calling her "Loony Lovegood" and hiding her things. This new piece of information angered Naruto greatly, if there was one thing, he hated was a bully.

"Listen Luna." Naruto called out stopping them as they reached the Great Hall. "Look if any one tries to pick on you again or they take your stuff, come find me and I'll deal with them." Naruto said as he started to walk over to the Slytherin table for dinner. After several helping Naruto started to make his way out of the Great Hall, when he was stopped by Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Hey guys." Naruto called out at he stopped walking.  
"Naruto, what happened in class today, what did Professor Dumbledore do?" Hermione asked worriedly.  
"Nothing really Albus just told me that it was accidental magic because I had gotten really mad." Naruto explained to them what Dumbledore told him.  
"Oh, Naruto you must try to control your temper." Hermione said Harry agreed just earlier this year he too had lost his temper and blew up aunt Marge.

"Yeah I know don't worry." Naruto told them, but something told Hermione this wouldn't be the last time Naruto would end up having to go to Professor Dumbledore's office.

"Hey Naruto" just them the Weasley twins had come up to them.

"Ginny's just told us what happened." Said Fred

"Good job with those Ravenclaws." Said George

"Wait, what happen with Ginny." Asked Ron looking back and forth form his brothers to Naruto, quickly Naruto explained what had happened after he had left the Headmasters office.

"Naruto you can't go around hexing people in the corridors." Hermione told him scoldingly.

"What, but why not. They were asking for it." Naruto told her

"We agree with you, Naruto." Said Fred "Right one hundred percent." Said George as they started to head up the marble staircase heading for the Gryffindor common room. Hermione looked to Harry and Ron, but when they didn't say anything she just gave and exasperated sigh and followed suit with the twins.  
"What's wrong with her?" asked Naruto as he looked to Ron and Harry

"Don't worry about Hermione she doesn't approve of rule braking." Harry told him.

Naruto awoke early the next morning like he always did once he exited the Slytherin common room and once out in the Entrance Hall. He could hear the thunder rumbling overhead, the pounding of the wind against the castle walls, and the distant creaking of the trees in the Forbidden Forest. He went in to the Great Hall and started to eat, just them the sound of foot steps caught his attention and looking over Naruto saw Harry walking in to the Great Hall carrying his broom stick.

"Hey Harry." Naruto called out as he got up from his spot and joined his friend and the two sat for some time the only ones in the Great Hall. Harry slowly eating his porridge while occasionally tossing a bit of egg to Naruto's cat Yuna who was sitting atop the table. Just then the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team showed up.

"It's going to be a tough one," said Wood, who wasn't eating anything.

"Stop worrying, Oliver," said Alicia soothingly, "we don't mind a bit of rain." But it was considerably more than a bit of rain. Such was the popularity of Quidditch that the whole school turned out to watch the match as usual, but they ran down the lawns toward the Quidditch field, heads bowed against the ferocious wind, umbrellas being whipped out of their hands as they went. Stepping aside Naruto headed for the entrance to the top stands which would be empty because of the days weather.

"Padfoot, you ready." Naruto told the large shaggy black dog that had been waiting for him. His only response was a bark as they started to make their way up to the top stands. The wind was so strong that the Quidditch teams staggered sideways as they walked out onto the field. Naruto cheered for his friend as Sirius howled. Rain was splattering over Naruto's face he had to pull the hood of his cloak over his face.

"look its starting." Naruto called out as he saw Harry pull his right foot out of the mud with a squelch and swung it over his broom. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant —they were off. Naruto saw Harry rise fast, but his broom was swerving slightly with the wind. He held it as steady as he could and turned.

Try as he might for most of the match Naruto was having a hard time trying to follow the game. At one point the whole Gryffindor team headed back down to the field and in to a huddle. After a few minutes the game was back on, but if Gryffindor was winning Naruto couldn't tell then at that moment a flash of lightning illuminated the field and Naruto got a good look at Harry who was looking right at him and dog Sirius.

Suddenly Harry threw himself flat on his broom handle and zoomed towards the opposite direction. Naruto watched in amazement at the speed and skill his friend was moving through the air. Then something odd was happening. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was as though someone had turned off the sound, as though Naruto had gone suddenly deaf — what was going on?

An intense cold swept over them all. Naruto felt his own breath catch in his chest. The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart. . . . Naruto's eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn't see. He was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in his ears as though of water. He was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder . . . And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams . . . a thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him

He didn't have a clue where he was, or how he'd got there, or what he'd been doing before he got there. All he knew was that every inch of him was aching as though it had been beaten. Naruto blinked it was very bright and looking round he saw the smiling face of Albus Dumbledore in front of him, happily scratching the back of Yuna's ear.

"Good afternoon, Naruto." Said Dumbledore, Naruto stared at him. Then he remembered

"I fell from the top of the stand." Naruto said looking down at his heavily bandaged body. "It was the Dementors at did it, wasn't it?" Dumbledore only nodded at him. Naruto swallowed and looked around him. He realized he must be in the hospital wing. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and his body was so wrapped up he looked like a mummy. Next to him was a table piled high with what looked like half of Honeydukes.

"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down at the Quidditch pitch was a great misfortune. It has become apparent that the Dementors just like with Mr. Potter have a strong effect on you."

"How long have I been in here?" Naruto asked

"two weeks. Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger and Mr. Potter will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried."

"Wow two weeks, that's a new record." Naruto said to himself as Yuna jumped from Dumbledore and on to his lap.

"Hey girl, did you miss me." Naruto said as he stated to pet her. "So, not that I'm complaining but how come I'm not dead." Naruto knew a fall from the top of the stands should have been lethal.

"That is by no small feat a miracle on your part." Dumbledore started to explain. "You see after the Dementors arrived to the Quidditch game several people began to fall ill. You and Mr. Potter had it the worst of most, and I believe this has to do with your difficult upbringing. Dementors, for you see Naruto bring up the worst possible memory a person may have, so it is only natural they would have a great effect on you."

After Dumbledore had left Naruto sat there for some time thinking over what he had told him and what had happened to him the day of the Quidditch game. After a while of this his head started to hurt, so he thought about something else. Looking over Naruto started to pick at the candy that had been left for him as he look over at the letters left for him.

Naruto had received get-well cards from all his friends, they were all there. Harry, Ron and Hermione, the Weasley twins Fred and George. Ginny and her friend Luna and he even received some from his fellow Slytherins. He may almost have died but at this moment looking over all the cards he had received Naruto couldn't be happier. there was even a rather rough looking piece of parchment that only had a single dog paw print on it.


	9. Chapter 9

Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Naruto in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend. He didn't argue or complain. He had a stream of visitors, all intent on cheering him up. Hagrid sent him a bunch of earwiggy flowers that looked like yellow cabbages, and Ginny Weasley turned up with a get-well card she had made herself along with a furiously blushing Luna Lovegood, who had given Naruto his very own hand made butterbeer cork neckless.

"thanks Ginny, thanks Luna." Naruto told them as he accepted their gifts.

"it will keep the nargles away." Luna said and to her delight Naruto tied it around his neck.

"Wow thanks Luna, what are nargles? "Naruto asked as he looked down at his new neckless.

"Oh, their horrible little creatures that bring misfortune." Luna told him and the two second-years stayed for some time with Naruto just talking. Naruto was glad to learn that no one had been picking on Luna, once the word got out that she was friends with Naruto. Harry, Ron, and Hermione would also stop by at the end of classes each day.

"I still can't believe your alive after that fall, you must have fallen three hundred feet." Said Ron as he helped himself to the sweets that were still left on Naruto's bedside table.

"Yeah, that's a new record for me that most I ever fell was maybe one hundred feet." Naruto said chuckling as he started to eat some chocolate frogs as well.

"How can you two laugh about something like this, Naruto you almost died." Hermione told them angrily as she fought back tears, this quickly caused Ron and Naruto to fall quiet.

"Look Hermione were sorry ok, we didn't mean anything by it." Harry said quickly and they went back to talking about other things like the return of Lupin.

"So, we don't have to do the essay on werewolves anymore, that's great." Naruto said happily Harry and Ron agreed, but it had turned out that Hermione had already finished hers. It was a relief to return to the noise and bustle of the main school on Monday, He sat down at the Slytherin table between Theodore and Basile.

"Well look who's still alive, welcome back Uzumaki." said Theodore

"Hey you guys, so what did I miss." Greeted Naruto as he started to eat.

"Well, Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat. He has been unbearable lately." Basile told him and looking down at the table Naruto saw Draco, Vincent, and Gregory along with Pansy sitting around with other Slytherins as they looked over at Harry at the Gryffindor table and laughed loudly at him. Seeing that his first class of the day was going to be Care of Magical Creatures Naruto quickly left the Great Hall with some food and went down to the grounds to look for Sirius.

Naruto searched all along the edge of the forest till calling out to him.

"Padfoot, Padfoot you out here?" and after a few minutes of looking Naruto was greeted by the sight of a large black dog coming through the trees.

"Naruto your alright." Sirius said after he had turned in to a man and to Naruto's surprise walked over and hugged him for a moment before holding him out at arm's length and looking him over.

"I'm alright Sirius, don't worry." Naruto told him as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"But how. . . . the fall should have…" Sirius began to say but was cut off by Naruto

"Don't worry I'm a quick healer." And they each took it in turn to catch the other up in what they had been doing in the two weeks Naruto had been stuck in the hospital wing.

"Well that's good, you were able to get back to the forest without the Dementors seeing you." Naruto said.

"Speaking of Dementors it's great that Dumbledore was able to get them to leave the Quidditch pitch, but Dumbledore won't always be around. You might want to look in to a way of fighting back." Sirius told him and with that in mind Naruto left for his classes for the day. All the while he kept on thinking about what Sirius had told him, he did understand what Dumbledore had told him about the reason Dementors affected him. He understood it, but that didn't mean he was going to let it happen again. With his mind made up he walked over to the head table after dinner later that night, determined to learn how to fight off the Dementors.

"Albus we need to talk." Naruto said sounding very uncharacteristically serious, Albus put his knife and fork down and looked across the table at him.

"Yes, Naruto what is the matter?" Dumbledore asked

"Is there a way to fight off Dementors?" at Naruto's question Professor Lupin looked up from his food.

"there is a charm that one can use to shield themselves form them, it is called the Patronus charm. I must give you a word of caution the Patronus charm is very advance magic, I believe there is some reading material on it in the library." Dumbledore finished telling the blond, for his part Naruto just nodded his head in understanding and took off form the Great Hall without another word.

"Headmaster was it wise to tell him that?" asked Lupin who had watched the whole conversation.

"Oh yes, I believe Naruto will be more than able to master that particular piece of spell work." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes as he watched Naruto move up the marble staircase.

Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. To Naruto's joy Harry, Ron, and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts.

Luckily to his and everyone's delight there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term. Even with the holiday brake drawing close, that didn't stop Naruto from being busy as ever. with his lessons with Hermione, trying to find a way into Gryffindor Tower and learning how to produce a Patronus his plate was getting full. At the moment Naruto was standing in the forest with Sirius after having brought him some dinner and a thick winter cloak he had been able to grab out of the teachers lounge.

"Kit, has Harry replaced his old broomstick yet?" Sirius asked as he put on his new cloak

"No I don't think so Padfoot, why?" Naruto answered back

"Good that's good, listen kit I need a favor." Sirius told him as he pulled out a slip of paper and taking it Naruto looked down and saw that it was just a bunch of numbers.

"That is my account number at Gringotts, I need you to use it so that I can get Harry a new broom." Sirius told him. Once everything was said and done Naruto headed up to the castle and back in to the Slytherin common room where everyone was talking excitedly about the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend.

"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" said Millicent

"Are you planning to get anything Naruto." Millicent asked him.

"that's right I should look around and get something for everyone." Naruto thought to himself as he stated to wonder what he could get his friends for Christmas. On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip Naruto, Ron, and Hermione bid good-bye to Harry at the Entrance Hall, all three of them were wrapped in cloaks and scarves due to the cold air and falling snow.

"So what are you guys planning to get?" Naruto asked as they moved down the school lawn heading towards the front gates.

"Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!" Hermione said Happily

"I was thinking of getting something different from Honeydukes for Harry." Said Ron as they started to pass the Dementors that kept guard around the castle's perimeter wall. Once they had finally reached the village Hermione let out a gasp of amazement and she was right to do so. Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees.

Walking up the main street looking around at all the shops they each took it in turn to aske the other two to wait outside as they went in to buy a Christmas gift. Naruto ended up stopping at Gladrags Wizardwear and got three scarfs a chestnut brown for Hermione, deep maroon for Ginny, and an indigo blue for Luna. At Zonko's Joke Shop he got a large assortment of items for Ron and Harry. And at the post office to deliver Sirius's order for Harry.

At the moment all three of them where inside Honeydukes looking around at the unusual tastes section of the shop. Ron, Naruto, and Hermione were looking at a tray of blood-flavored lollipops. Harry sneaked up behind them.

"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione was saying.

"How about these?" said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose.

"Definitely not," said Harry. Ron nearly dropped the jar, but luckily Naruto was able to grab it right before is smashed on the ground.

"Harry!" squealed Hermione. "What are you doing here? How — how did you — ?"

"Wow!" said Ron, looking very impressed, "you've learned to Apparate!"

" 'Course I haven't," said Harry. He dropped his voice so that none of the sixth years could hear him and told them all about the Marauder's Map.

"How come Fred and George never gave it to me!" said Ron, outraged. "I'm their brother!"

"But Harry isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"

"No, I'm not!" said Harry.

"Are you mad?" said Ron, goggling at Hermione. "Hand in something that good?"

"If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Fred and George had nicked it!"

"But what about Sirius Black?" Hermione hissed. "He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!" Harry was about to say something but was cut off by Naruto

"If black was smart enough to break out of Azkaban, he's not hiding in Hogsmeade were the Dementors are always on guard. If I was Sirius Black, I would be hiding inside the school grounds maybe even the castle. That's the one place the Dementors couldn't reach you thanks to Dumbledore." Naruto said in a very serous voice, no one had really thought of this, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione were suddenly filled with a feeling of dread.

"Come on Harry lets look around." Said Ron trying to lighten the mood and they went around Honeydukes and show Harry everything. After they had finished in the sweet shop they moved outside and showed Harry all the shops on the Highstreet.

"That's the post office —"

"Zonko's is up there —"

"We could go up to the Shrieking Shack —"

"Tell you what," said Ron, his teeth chattering, "shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?" Harry was more than willing; the wind was fierce, and his hands were freezing, so they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn.

"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red. Naruto Harry and Hermione made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree, which stood next to the fireplace. Ron came back five minutes later, carrying four foaming tankards of hot butterbeer

"Merry Christmas!" he said happily, raising his tankard. They all drank deeply. a sudden breeze rushed over them. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Naruto looked over the rim of his tankard and choked. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak.

"Who's the guy in the hat?" Naruto asked as he saw the growing look of panic in Harry's eyes

"Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic." Harry whispered, in an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of Harry's head and forced him off his stool and under the table. Dripping with butterbeer and crouching out of sight, Naruto, Ron, and Hermione all watched the teachers' and Fudge move toward the bar. They were placing their orders with Madam Rosmerta. Pulling out his wand Naruto whispered,

" _ **Mobiliarbus"**_ The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, moving his wand he drifted it sideways, and dropped it with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view. Staring through the branches, they could see all four adults take their seats at the table right beside theirs with grunts and sighs, not long after Madam Rosmerta walked over with a tray of drinks.

"A small gillywater —"

"Mine," said Professor McGonagall

"Four pints of mulled mead —"

"Ta, Rosmerta," said Hagrid.

"A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella —"

"Mmm!" said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips.

"So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister."

"Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear," said Fudge. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us. . . ."

"Well, thank you very much, Minister so, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" asked Madam Rosmerta, Naruto saw the Minister look around for a moment before he said in a quiet voice, "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"

"I did hear a rumor," admitted Madam Rosmerta.

"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly.

"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta. "I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly.

"You know that the dementors have searched the whole village twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away. . . . It's very bad for business, Minister."

"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," said Fudge uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution . . . unfortunate, but there you are. . . . I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore — he won't let them inside the castle grounds."

"I should think not," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"

"Hear, hear!" squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick,

"All the same," demurred Fudge, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse. . . . We all know what Black's capable of. . . ."

"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought . . . I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."

"The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"

"I certainly do," said Fudge.

"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"

"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!" Naruto heard Harry drop his tankard with a loud clunk. Ron kicked him.

"Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact — but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers —"

"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."

"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!"

"Of course, they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."

"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know- Who?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"Worse even than that, m'dear. . . ." Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."

"How does that work?" said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat. "An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find — unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"

"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself . . . and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."

"He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta.

"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."

"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"

"He did," said Fudge heavily.

"And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed "Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta.

"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it —"

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.

"Shh!" said Professor McGonagall.

"I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead . . . an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.

By this point Naruto had heard enough his ears were starting to ring as he sat there in his silent rage. He wanted to get up and tell them the truth to tell Harry the truth about his Godfather, how everyone was wrong about Sirius. He know he couldn't however, with out the rat he didn't have any proof unless he had the stupid rat. Naruto was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of chinking glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.

"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle," said Professor McGonagall. One by one they all got up and throwing on their cloaks they left the pub.

"Harry?" Ron and Hermione looked under the table at a lost for words.


	10. Chapter 10

The Following morning Naruto had awoken late to discover that he was the only one left in his dormitory. Getting up and dressing himself Naruto found that he was the only one left in Slytherin house.

"Looks like we got the hole place to ourselves again, girl." Naruto told Yuna who was perched on his shoulder. She quickly hopped off and landing on one of the comfy chairs in front of the fire place and stretcher her whole body out before falling asleep once again. Naruto only chuckled at this before heading out of the Slytherin common room and up to the Great Hall form some food. Once at the Slytherin table Naruto looked around and saw that there was hardly anyone left school. He quickly ate and loaded up a plate before heading out to the grounds.

"So, Harry thinks I betrayed his mother and father?" Sirius said after he had finished all of his food. Naruto had tokened the time to tell him about the conversation all four of them had heard in the Three Broomsticks.

"Naruto, I thinks it best that you not come down to see me as often, with Harry having the Marauder's Map I could be discovered at any moment." Sirius told him

"So, then where are you going to hide out now?" Naruto asked and after a moment of silence Sirius finally spoke.

"The Shrieking Shack, you can't see it from the map but it entrance can be found on the grounds." And so, Sirius and Naruto made plans that Naruto would deposit food at the entrance of the tunnel that lay under the Whopping Willow and Naruto was to only come down to the shack once he had the password to Gryffindor Tower. With that Sirius took Naruto along the edge of the forest and lead him to the Whopping Willow and showed him what root to hit in order to stop the tree from moving.

"Good luck kit." Sirius told him before he vanished under the tree. After watching Sirius leave Naruto headed back up to the castle but stopped when he was a very distraught looking Hagrid out side his hut.

"Hagrid, what wrong?" Naruto asked as he approached him. Hagrid could only let out a loud sob as he handed Naruto an official-looking letter.

 _Dear Mr. Hagrid,_

 _Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident. However, we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated. Yours in fellowship . . ._

"Hagrid, I'm sorry. . . I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Naruto finally said as he finished reading the letter.

"An't your fault Naruto." Hagrid said and they decide to head in to the hut to get out of the cold. Once inside the hut Naruto spotted Buckbeak the hippogriff laying in the corner, chomping on something that was oozing blood all over the floor. As Hagrid took as seat as his table, he continued to sob to himself, just then there was a knock at the door. Walking over Naruto opened it and saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Looking over at the new arrives Hagrid's sobs redoubled

"Yeh've heard?" he bellowed, the three of them looked to Naruto confused at what was going on. and once they stepped inside Naruto handed them the letter he had just read.

"Oh," said Ron. "But you said Buckbeak isn't a bad hippogriff, Hagrid. I bet he'll get off—"

"Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures!" choked Hagrid, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "They've got it in fer interestin' creatures!" A sudden sound from the corner of Hagrid's cabin made Harry, Ron, and Hermione whip around and they saw Buckbeak

"I couldn' leave him tied up out there in the snow!" choked Hagrid. "All on his own! At Christmas." Hagrid crocked out again.

"You'll have to put up a good strong defense, Hagrid," said Hermione, sitting down and laying a hand on Hagrid's massive forearm. "I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe."

"Won't make no diff'rence!" sobbed Hagrid. "Them Disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket! Scared o' him! An' if I lose the case, Buckbeak —" Hagrid drew his finger swiftly across his throat, then gave a great wail and lurched forward, his face in his arms.

"What about Dumbledore, Hagrid?" said Harry.

"He's done more'n enough fer me already," groaned Hagrid. "Got enough on his plate what with keepin' them dementors outta the castle, an' Sirius Black lurkin' around —" Naruto, Ron, and Hermione looked over at Harry at the mention of his godfathers name.

"Listen, Hagrid," he said, "you can't give up. Hermione's right, you just need a good defense. You can call us as witnesses —"

"I'm sure I've read about a case of hippogriff-baiting," said Hermione thoughtfully, "where the hippogriff got off. I'll look it up for you, Hagrid, and see exactly what happened." Hagrid howled still more loudly. Harry and Hermione looked at Naruoto and Ron to help them.

"Er — shall I make a cup of tea?" said stared at him. "It's what my mum does whenever someone's upset," Ron muttered, shrugging.

"Hagrid this is all my fault, I broke Draco's arms and now his dad is trying to get back at me." Naruto said once again,

"No! Naruto you mustn't blame yourself for what that family dose." Hermione told him.

"Yer right. I can' afford to go ter pieces. Gotta pull meself together. . . ." Fang the boarhound came timidly out from under the table and laid his head on Hagrid's knee. "I've not bin meself lately," said Hagrid, stroking Fang with one hand and mopping his face with the other.

"Worried abou' Buckbeak, an' no one likin' me classes —"

"We do like them!" lied Hermione at once.

"Yeah, they're great!" said Ron, crossing his fingers under the table. "Er — how are the flobberworms?"

"Dead," said Hagrid gloomily. "Too much lettuce."

"Oh no!" said Ron, his lip twitching.

"An' them dementors make me feel ruddy terrible an' all," said Hagrid, with a sudden shudder. "Gotta walk past 'em ev'ry time I want a drink in the Three Broomsticks. 'S like bein' back in Azkaban —"

He fell silent, gulping his tea. Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched him breathlessly. Naruto had no idea Hagrid had been sent to Azkaban. Then Hermione said timidly, "Is it awful in there, Hagrid?"

"Yeh've no idea," said Hagrid quietly. "Never bin anywhere like it. Thought I was goin' mad. Kep' goin' over horrible stuff in me mind

"But you were innocent!" said Hermione. Hagrid snorted.

"Think that matters to them? They don' care. Long as they've got a couple o' hundred humans stuck there with 'em, so they can leech all the happiness out of 'em, they don' give a damn who's guilty an' who's not." Hagrid went quiet for a moment, staring into his tea. Then he said quietly,

"Thought o' jus' letting Buckbeak go . . . tryin' ter make him fly away . . . but how d'yeh explain ter a hippogriff it's gotta go inter hidin'? An' — an' I'm scared o' breakin' the law. . . ." He looked up at them, tears leaking down his face again. "I don' ever want ter go back ter Azkaban." The trip to Hagrid's, though far from fun, had nevertheless had motivated them to help Hagrid win his case against the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. Naruto, Harry , Ron, and Hermione went to the library the next day and stated looking for books that might help prepare a defense for Buckbeak. The four of them at a table in the back, slowly turning the pages of dusty volumes about famous cases of marauding beasts, speaking occasionally when they ran across something relevant.

"Here's something . . . there was a case in 1722 . . . but the hippogriff was convicted — ugh, look what they did to it, that's disgusting —"

"This might help, look — a manticore savaged someone in 1296, and they let the manticore off — oh — no, that was only because everyone was too scared to go near it. . . ."

Meanwhile, in the rest of the castle, the usual magnificent Christmas decorations had been put up, despite the fact that hardly any of the students remained to enjoy them. Thick streamers of holly and mistletoe were strung along the corridors, mysterious lights shone from inside every suit of armor, and the Great Hall was filled with its usual twelve Christmas trees, glittering with golden stars. A powerful and delicious smell of cooking pervaded the corridors, and by Christmas Eve, it had grown so strong that Naruto could smell it the moment he step foot outside of the Slytherin common room.

On Christmas morning, Naruto woke up like it was any other day bright and early. Only this time as he looked through the semi-darkness to the foot of his bed, there was a small heap of parcels that had appeared overnight. Slowly Naruto stated to approach them courteously he reached for one of his Kunis and stated to slowly move and prod them. finally, after about an hour of checking for any kind of traps Naruto picked up the first package it was from Ron's mother, Mrs. Weasley. She had sent him a forest green sweater with the Slytherin snake knitted on the front, also a dozen home-baked mince pies,

From Hermione he received a book of spells 101 useful Charms for every day, starting to flip through Naruto saw all kinds spells he was eager to learn. From Harry and Ron, he received, and assortment of items form Honeydukes and Zonko's. From Ginny he got a fine eagle feather quill and from Luna some Christmas cake, and a box of nut brittle. Naruto could fell a warm felling swelling up inside of him like a balloon was being inflated inside of his chest. He had received Christmas gifts from all his friends, never had Naruto been happier in his life.

Naruto spent all morning looking over all his presents till his stomach let out a loud growl. It was already lunchtime. Leaving the Slytherin common room Naruto headed up to the Great Hall, however once he had stepped out into the Entrance Hall, he saw his friends coming down the staircase.

"Hey guys, thanks for all the great gifts." Naruto greeted happily as he looked over at his friend, Naruto was very happy to see that Hermione had on the scarf he had given her.

"Hey Naruto, you got a Weasley sweater too." Said Harry as he pointed out the sweaters, they had also received from Mrs. Weasley. Together all four of them entered the Great Hall, to find that the House tables had been moved against the walls again, and that a single table, set for twelve, stood in the middle of the room.

Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick were there, along with Filch, the caretaker, who had taken off his usual brown coat and was wearing a very old and rather moldy-looking tailcoat. There were only two other students, two extremely nervous-looking first years.

"Merry Christmas!" said Dumbledore as Naruto, Harry, Ron, and Hermione approached the table. "As there are so few of us, it seemed foolish to use the House tables. . . . Sit down, sit down!" Naruto, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down side by side at the end of the table.

"Crackers!" said Dumbledore enthusiastically, offering the end of a large silver noisemaker to Snape, who took it reluctantly and tugged. With a bang like a gunshot, the cracker flew apart to reveal a large, pointed witch's hat topped with a stuffed vulture Naruto, remembering the boggart, caught Harry and Ron's eye and they both grinned; Snape's mouth thinned and he pushed the hat toward Dumbledore, who swapped it for his wizard's hat at once.

"Dig in!" he advised the table, beaming around. As Naruto was helping himself to roast potatoes, He opened his robs and let Yuna jump out on to the table to eat. Just then the doors of the Great Hall opened again. It was Professor Trelawney, gliding toward them as though on wheels. She had put on a green sequined dress in honor of the occasion, making her look more than ever like a glittering, oversized dragonfly.

"Sibyll, this is a pleasant surprise!" said Dumbledore, standing up.

"I have been crystal gazing, Headmaster," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest, most faraway voice, "and to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you.

Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you to forgive my lateness. . . ."

"Certainly, certainly," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Let me draw you up a chair —" And he did indeed draw a chair in midair with his wand, which revolved for a few seconds before falling with a thud between Professors Snape and McGonagall. Professor McGonagall poked a large spoon into the nearest tureen.

"Tripe, Sibyll?" Professor Trelawney ignored her. Eyes open again, she looked around once more and said, "But where is dear Professor Lupin?"

"I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again," said Dumbledore, indicating that everybody should start serving themselves

"Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day."

"But surely you already knew that, Sibyll?" said Professor McGonagall, her eyebrows raised. Professor Trelawney gave Professor McGonagall a very cold look.

"Certainly, I knew, Minerva," she said quietly. "But one does not parade the fact that one is All-Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous."

"That explains a great deal," said Professor McGonagall tartly. Professor Trelawney's voice suddenly became a good deal less misty.

"If you must know, Minerva, I have seen that poor Professor Lupin will not be with us for very long. He seems aware, himself, that his time is short. He positively fled when I offered to crystal gaze for him —"

"Imagine that," said Professor McGonagall dryly.

"I doubt," said Dumbledore, in a cheerful but slightly raised voice, which put an end to Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney's conversation,

"that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger. Severus, you've made the potion for him again?"

"Yes, Headmaster," said Snape.

"Good," said Dumbledore. "Then he should be up and about in no time." The rest of the time everyone enjoyed their lunch, Hermione and Naruto taking it in turn to feed Yuna pieces of food from their plates. Finally it was Harry and Ron to get up first form the table.

"Coming?" Harry said to Hermione.

"No," Hermione muttered, "I want a quick word with Professor McGonagall."

"Probably trying to see if she can take any more classes," yawned Ron. And as Hermione walked over to Professor McGonagall, Naruto took Yuna and exited the Great Hall. He headed back to the Slytherin with Yuna, and by the time he had finally go to sleep that night it was with a big smile on his face because this was the best day of his life. the following morning Naruto woke up expecting another great day when he stepped foot into the Great Hall. He saw that the four house tables were back in place and the only other person their seemed to be Hermione.

Walking over to her Naruto saw that she was looking very downtrodden and from the look of her red puffy eyes she clearly had been crying for some time.

"Hermione what's wrong." Naruto asked his friend as he sat down at the Gryffindor table with her.  
"Oh, Naruto it's nothing really." Hermione tried to say as she put on a brave smile, but this didn't fool Naruto.

"Are you sure you're alright, even I can tell that you've been crying." Naruto pointed out after a few more minutes of prodding he was finally able to get her to talk.

"It's Harry and Ron they. . . ." Hermione stated to say.

"Wait, they made you cry!? Where are they?" Naruto asked his anger beginning to rise as he stood rom the table and pulled out his wand ready to go and hex them both.

"No, Naruto please you mustn't they are just upset and not thinking clearly. Don't go getting in to trouble over me." Hermione said hoping to calm down enraged Slytherin.

"But Hermione, you're supposed to be friends. They shouldn't treat you like that." Said Naruto trying to understand why she wasn't mad like he was.

"It's alright really, their just being childish." Hermione said and seeing that she wasn't going to change her mind about is Naruto put his wand away and sat back down.

"Ok then, well I don't care about some broom. So, till those jerks act right looks like its just the tow of us for now." Naruto said as he started to eat.

"That's great we could go to the library and look up anything that could help Hagrid." Hermione said excitedly. Studying wasn't what Naruto had in mind, but he was happy to see Hermione was cheering up a little.

And so, the rest of his holiday was spent with Hermione, everyday they would meet up in the Great Hall in the morning and eat breakfast. Next, they would spend the day in the library doing research, after which it would be lunch time. After lunch Naruto was able to convince Hermione to take a walk around the school ground or by the lake after which they would down to Hagrid's hut and tell him about the research they had been doing so far.

All in all, in no time at all the rest of the school returned shortly after New Year, the Slytherin common room became crowded and noisy again.

"Hey guy's have a good Christmas?" Naruto asked his dormmates on the night they had all returned to the Slytherin dormitory.

"It was alright a suppose Mother and Father dragged me to some dull ministry ball." Draco said. Crabbe and Goyle didn't do much of anything then just stay home.

"Wow that sound cool Blaise." Said Naruto after learning about how his friend and his mother spent there new year at their Italian villa. Theodore on the other hand didn't really say much about what he or his family got up to.

Classes started again the next day. The last thing anyone felt like doing was spending two hours on the grounds on a raw January morning, but Hagrid had provided a bonfire full of salamanders for their enjoyment, and they spent an unusually good lesson collecting dry wood and leaves to keep the fire blazing while the flame-loving lizards scampered up and down the crumbling, white-hot logs. The first Divination lesson of the new term was much less fun; Professor Trelawney was now teaching them palmistry, and she lost no time in informing Harry that he had the shortest life line she had ever seen. All the while Naruto had been giving Harry and Ron the cold shoulder as they still wouldn't talk to Hermione. This became very apparent in their Defense Against the Dark Arts class when Harry tried to sit at a table with Naruto only him to get up and move over next to Hermione.

"I still can't believe those jerks still won't talk to you." Naruto said after class as he and Hermione walked out. All an all Naruto had been able to keep Hermione's spirits up at the cost of having to spend most of his time in the library, something the blond hated. And it looked like they were going to head to the library once again,

"If we hurry he could get Professor Lupins essay done before dinner." Hermione told him excitedly, just then Naruto got a brilliant idea.  
"Hey Hermione, I was wonder if you could give me a hand with a spell I've been trying to learn." Naruto said he stopped and pulled out a Dark creature tome he had found in the library a few weeks ago. At this Hermione got a twinkle in her eyes when she way the book, clearly this was a advance spell Naruto was trying to learn.  
"Ooh, Naruto I would love to help you. What kind of spell are you trying to preform?" Hermione asked as he to the tome form Naruto and stated to look through it.  
"Well Albus told me about it. It's called the Patronus charm and it meant to fight off the Dementors." Said Naruto as he looked on in amassment as Hermione stated to look as though second Christmas had come early.

 _ **Expecto Patronum**_

Naruto called out as something whooshed suddenly out of the end of his wand; it looked like a wisp of silvery gas.

"Did you see that?" said Harry excitedly looking to Hermione. "Something happened!"

"Very good," said Hermione, smiling. They had now found themselves in an empty classroom as Naruto tried to perform the spell with Hermione pointing out pointers from the book.

"Concentrate hard on your happy memory Naruto, that was a good start. You might want to try another memory happier memory to concentrate on." Hermione told him happily as she read over the passages written in the book.

"Right." Said Naruto as he screwed up his face in concentration. He had been thinking about the day he got his wand and the felling of being able to du magic.

 _ **Expecto Patronum**_

This time he thought about Christmas morning and receiving presents form all his friends. This time a huge, silver shadow came bursting out of the end of Naruto's wand, to hover infront of him and though Naruto's legs felt like water, he was still on his feet — though for how much longer, he wasn't sure. Finally, he stopped spell as he sunk to the floor feeling as exhausted as if he'd just run a mile.

""Excellent!" Hermione said, striding over to where Naruto sat. "Excellent, Naruto! That was definitely a start!" Naruto could only look up with a big goofy grin on his face.


	11. Chapter 11

January faded imperceptibly into February, with no change in the bitterly cold weather. But that didn't matter as Naruto raced down the school laws heading for the Whopping Willow as piece of parchment clutched tightly in his hand. Only a few yards from the tree Naruto picked up a rock form the ground and through it at the knotted root Sirius told him would freeze the tree.

Quickly he crawled forward, headfirst, and slid down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel. he moved as fast as he could, bent almost double. On and on went the passage and then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Naruto could see a patch of dim light through a small opening. It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up. Naruto pulled himself out of the hole, staring around. The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway.

"Padfoot! Hay! Padfoot." Naruto called out as he dusted himself off. The sound of footsteps coming for upstairs could be heard and a few seconds later Sirius walked in to the room.

"Kit what's the matter?" Sirius asked wondering taking a look at the frantic teen.

"I got it Padfoot, look I got it." Naruto said and holding out the piece of parchment Sirius took it and saw that it was a list of passwords.

"Kit how did you get this?" Sirius asked in amazement he finally had his way in to Gryffindor Tower. And Naruto explained how he had gone up to the owlery to send a thank you letter to Mrs. Weasley for the Christmas gifts she had sent him when he ran in to a happy looking Neville Longbottom.

"Neville was going to send his grandmother a letter and that's when I saw this sticking out of his pocket, I asked what it as and he told me he had been able to get the whole weeks password list." Naruto said happily.

"Well that was a good stroke of luck." Said Sirius and with her new plains made to get the rat Naruto went back through the tunnel cam out from under the tree and headed back up to the school. Making it back to the Slytherin house, Naruto got to bed looking forward to catching the rat. The next morning Naruto got up early and headed up to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Entering the Great Hall Naruto was once again he only one their this early in the morning to eat. Taking his time to eat this morning by the time he was done eating most of the school was up already in the Hall. Exiting out of the Great Hall Naruto started to make his way out to the Quidditch Pitch for the days game when he ran in to Luna Lovegood, who had a dreamy look on her face, and she descended the marble staircase.

"Good Morning Naruto." She called out to him, and Naruto was glad to see that she had on the scarf he had given he for Christmas.

"Hey Luna, how was your holiday." Naruto asked once the blond had walked up to him.

"Oh, it was lovely thank you for the scarf by the way. You didn't have to get me anything, but I like it all the same. How was your holiday" Luna told him as she tugged on the end of the blue scarf a small smile beginning to speed on her face.

"It was great, and I wanted to get you something to say thank for the neckless you gave me." And to Luna's astonishment Naruto pulled out fromu under his shirt the butterbeer neckless Luna had given him months ago when he was stuck in the hospital wing. Just then more and more students were starting to get up to head down to the pitch.

"Well good luck on the game, hope Ravenclaw wins. I'll see you around Luna." Naruto called out as he started to move with the Slytherins in the crowed. Unlike the last time Naruto went to watch a Quidditch game, this time the weather was much more improved so that he could actually see the game.

Looking down at the pitch Naruto saw both teams kicked off into the air and the Firebolt zoomed higher and faster than any other broom; he soared around the stadium and began squinting around for the Snitch, listening all the while to the commentary, which was being provided by the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan.

"They're off, and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt that Harry Potter is flying for Gryffindor. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolts going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship —"

"Jordan, would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?" interrupted Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Right you are, Professor — just giving a bit of background information — the Firebolt, incidentally, has a built-in auto-brake and —"

"Jordan!"

"Okay, okay, Gryffindor in possession, Katie Bell of Gryffindor heading for goal . . ." As Naruto continued to follow the game he watched as Harry zoom across the pitch as Katie succeeded in scoring the first goal of the match, and the Gryffindor end of the field went wild. Just then as harry was making a dive for something a Blunger, hit by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, came pelting out of nowhere; Harry veered off course, avoiding it by an inch. There was a great "Ooooooh" of disappointment from the Gryffindor supporters, but much applause for their Beater from the Ravenclaw end. George Weasley vented his feelings by hitting the second Blunger directly at the offending Beater, who was forced to roll right over in midair to avoid it.

"Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now, see it turn — Chang's Comet is just no match for it, the Firebolts precision-balance is really noticeable in these long —"

"JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"

Ravenclaw was pulling back; they had now scored three goals, which put Gryffindor only fifty points ahead at this the Slytherin side of the field let out a loud "Booo" of disappointment. Just then Harry stated to move forward but was stopped by the Ravenclaw seeker. As the game went on every time Harry tried to move around the pitch he was constantly being blocked. Just then Harry looked down a Something silver-white, something enormous, erupted from the end of his wand. At three dementors, three tall, black, hooded dementors, that were looking up at him. not waiting to see what happened Harry continued to fly forward and managed to close his fingers over the small struggling Snitch. Madam Hooch's whistle sounded. Harry turned around in midair and saw six scarlet blurs bearing down on him; next moment, the whole team was hugging him so hard he was nearly pulled off his broom. Down below he could hear the roars of the Gryffindors in the crowd. Just as Naruto was going to go down to congratulate Harry he was stopped as a large ginger cat. Naruto tried to pass the cat, but each time it would move to block his way and looking down he saw it had a piece of paper in its mouth. Reaching down and picking up the cat, Naruto held it in his arms, and he stated to walk back up to the castle with the rest of the Slytherins. Pulling the paper from his mouth the cat, having delivered its message jumped out of his arms and took off in to the forbidden forest.

" **TONIGHT"**

Even thought it was the only word Naruto read on the paper, he clearly understood what it meant. Speeding up Naruto caught back up with the rest of the Slytherins as they headed back up to the school and in to the dungeons. All the while Draco was running his mouth off about the Gryffindor Quidditch team more importantly Harry Potter.

This would normally get set Naruto off, however his mind was more focused on other things, and he was still mad at the way Harry and Ron where treating Hermione.

"Naruto, NARUTO!" called out Pansy bringing the blond out of his train of thoughts

"Oh, sorry Pansy didn't hear you." Said Naruto sheepishly as he looked over that the dark haired Slytherin girl.

"I was asking you what you thought about the Quidditch game?" she told him again.

"I would have liked it more if Ravenclaw had won." Said Naruto to the main approving nods from the Slytherin's around him. the rest of Naruto's night was uneventful with him going to bed hoping to hear some good new from Sirius in the morning. Halfway through the night however things took a turn as the Slytherin Prefects were going around the dormitories waking everyone up.

"Head to the Common room for an emergency announcement." Everyone got up and headed for the common room wondering what was going on, but Naruto had a sneaking supposition about the so-called emergency announcement.

"Listen up all of you there has been anther sighting of Sirius Black in the castle and every has been ordered to stay in their houses till farther notice." Said the Prefect once they were finished loud and conversation stated to break out all over the common room, which Naruto noticed most weren't really worried about a supposed mass murder loss in the castle.

"this is getting tiresome, you would think Black could finish Potter off already and leave by now." Naruto heard a Seven year girl say to her friends and he let out a great big yawn.

"I don't really see how this is a Slytherin problem." Another said and most people were carrying on along about the same with everyone complaining about Black. Having heard enough Naruto went back to bed to get some sleep. Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes.

Walking in to the Great Hall in the morning Naruto was greeted with the sight of Harry and Ron surrounded by a large grope of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuffs. At the are end of the table he also spotted Ginny and Luna sitting with a very distraught Hermione.

"Hey Gin, Luna. Hermione was wrong." Asked Naruto as he sat down at the table, Hermione looked like she as about to cry as Ginny started to calm her down.

"Good morning Naruto, didn't you hear Sirius Black got inside Gryffindor tower and almost killed Ronald Weasley last night.' Luna said in her typical dreamy voice, his caused Hermione to finally brake out in to tears and for Ginny to shoot her friend an icy look.

"He's ok, though right?" Naruto asked

"Oh, he quite alright." Luna told him and just them the school owls swooped into the Great Hall carrying the mail as usual, and Neville choked as a huge barn owl landed in front of him, a scarlet envelope clutched in its beak. Naruto saw Ron lean forward and tell something to Neville before He seized the envelope, and holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the hall, while the Slytherin table exploded with laughter at the sight of him.

"Howler, poor Neville." Ginny said as she watched to boy run out of the hall. They all heard the Howler go off in the entrance hall — Neville's grandmother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family. The rest of Naruto's week was spent taking it in turn with Ginny and Luna as they tried to calm Hermione down and keep her spirits up. So much so that with his lessons with Hermione, trying to master the Patronus and his morning workout when the next Hogsmeade weekend was posted Naruto saw this as his golden opportunity to see Sirius.

And on the day of the Hogsmeade weekend Naruto walked down to the castle gates with the rest of the students heading to the main gates, Naruto moved out of the line and headed for the whomping willow. Easily slipping away from Filch, hit the knot on the root and moved down the secret passage. Coming out of the floor and stepping inside the Shrieking Shack he called out to Sirius.

"Sirius, you up here?" called out Naruto as he moved up the step to the second floor.

"I'm right here Kit." Sirius said as he come out off the bedroom and they headed back down stairs.

"What happened?" everyone is talking about how you almost kill Ron Weasley." Asked Naruto as he took a seat on

"Was that the boy's name, no I was looking for the rat but the boy, Ron woke up while I was searching the dormitory." Sirius said as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Well if things in the castle weren't tight enough." And Naruto told Sirius of all the new security measures that where being taken in the castle to stop him form coming in.

"That can't be help the only thing that matters is getting that rat." Sirius said angrily as he started to pace around the living room.

"Yeah, I get that, but your forgetting about the dementors all over the place. Look he's still in the castle he hasn't left. Ok it's only a matter of time." Naruto tried to get Sirius to see eye to eye on this. It took a while but finally Naruto was able talk Sirius out of just storming the castle. Moving back down the passage and coming out on to the school grounds Naruto stated to head back up to the castle just in before dinner was to start. However, before he had a chance to move in to the Great Hall, he came across a very shocked and lost looking Hermione.

"Hermine are you alright?" Naruto aske once he had reached her but to his shock, as she just throws her arms around him and stated to cry in to his chest. Naruto just let her cry as he lightly patted her on the back till her sobbing finally subsided.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I don't know what came over me… its just that." Hermione stated to say and taking the letter she had in her hand Naruto opened it and read.

 **Dear Hermione**

 **We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts.**

 **Execution date to be fixed.**

 **Beaky has enjoyed London.**

 **I won't forget all the help you and Naruto gave us.**

 **Hagrid.**

"What! those Basterds, they can't do this." Naruto said angrily as he finished the letter.  
"Dame you Draco, I'm sorry Hermione this is all my fault" Naruto said as he thought back on everything that caused this to happen.

"Oh no, Naruto this is all Malfoys doing not yours." Hermione told him, but Naruto still felt like it was his fault.

"Right look why don't I walk you back to Gryffindor tower." Naruto offered and the both stated to walk up the marble staircase in silence. Once the finally reached the seventh-floor landing they were meet by the sight of Harry and Ron looking worried about something as they talked in rushed whispers.

"Come to have a good gloat?" said Ron savagely as she stopped in front of them. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"

"Hey you jerk Hermione would never do that." Naruto said as he stepped up and defended Hermione.

"No, Naruto please" said Hermione as she grabbed Naruto arm to stop him from doing anything too rash.

"I just thought you ought to know . . . Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed." She handed them the letter in her hands which Harry and Ron read quickly.

"They can't do this," said Harry. "They can't. Buckbeak isn't dangerous."

"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," said Hermione, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope. . . . Nothing will have changed."

"Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."

"Oh, Ron!" Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. Finally, Hermione drew away.

"Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers . . . ," she sobbed. "Oh — well — he was old," said Ron, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him.

"And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."

The safety measures imposed on the students since Black's second break-in made it impossible for Naruto, Harry, Ron, and Hermione to go and visit Hagrid in the evenings. Their only chance of talking to him was during Care of Magical Creatures lessons. He seemed numb with shock at the verdict.

"S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em. . . ."

"There's still the appeal!" said Ron fiercely. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!" They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Malfoy, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle, and kept looking back, laughing derisively.

"S'no good, Ron," said Hagrid sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I

owe him that. . . ." Hagrid turned around and hurried back toward his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.

"Look at him blubber!" Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening. "Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Malfoy. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!" Harry and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first

 **SMACK!**

She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. Harry, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again.

"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul — you evil —" "Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.

"Get off, Ron!" Hermione pulled out her wand. Malfoy stepped backward. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered. Till Naruto jumped in front of Hermione his arms out stretched to stop her from attacking

"Hermione Don't do it he's not worth it. Draco get out of here now." Naruto said

"C'mon," Malfoy muttered, and in a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.

"Hermione!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed.

"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said shrilly. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"


	12. Chapter 12

June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake. But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows.

However, this wasn't the only thing that Naruto had to think about as he had just received a letter Hagrid. Buckbeak's appeal was set for the sixth the last day of exams, but Naruto had a horrible feeling that the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures had had its mind made up for it by Mr. Malfoy.

Exam week began and an unnatural hush fell over the castle. The third years emerged from Transfiguration at lunchtime on Monday, limp and ashen-faced, comparing results and bemoaning the difficulty of the tasks they had been set, which had included turning a teapot into a tortoise. Hermione irritated the rest by fussing about how her tortoise had looked more like a turtle, which was the least of everyone else's worries. Naruto to his own surprise had managed the task well enough.

"Well done Mr. Uzumaki. I see Miss. Grangers tutelage has indeed been very beneficial." Professor McGonagall told him after class.

"thanks Minerva." Naruto said happily as he left the class with Ron, Harry, and Hermione

"Mine still had a spout for a tail, what a nightmare. . . ." "Were the tortoises supposed to breathe steam?" "It still had a willow-patterned shell, d'you think that'll count against me?" some of the others student were saying.

Then, after a hasty lunch, it was straight back upstairs for the Charms exam. Naruto slightly overdid his out of nerves and Hermione, who was partnering him, ended up in fits of laughter and had to be led away to a quiet room for an hour before he was ready to perform the charm himself. After dinner, Naruto hurried back to the Slytherin common rooms, not to relax, but to start studying for Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, and Astronomy.

Hagrid presided over the Care of Magical Creatures exam the following morning with a very preoccupied air indeed; his heart didn't seem to be in it at all. He had provided a large tub of fresh flobberworms for the class, and told them that to pass the test, their flobberworm had to still be alive at the end of one hour. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione talked with Hagrid Naruto decided to stay back with Blaise and Theodore instead still guilt despite Hermione's words.

He had Potions that afternoon, which not as bad as Naruto would have thought. his Confusing Concoction had thickened, and Snape, standing by and looking at his potion, scribbled something onto his notes, than gave him a slight nod before moving away.

Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning, which Naruto had never liked but he had fun as he made up any horrible sounding name he could think of to fill in the answers. Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over.

Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new boggart.

Stepping into the old trunk Naruto was amazed to see that he was easily able to stand up inside of it. Professor Lupin must have enchanted it to be about the size of a small class room. Looking round in the darkness Naruto didn't see anything at first but slowly taking a few steps forward he stated to see soothing up ahead of him moving around in the darkness.

"hello." Was all that Naruto could say as he looked at a small blond boy of about six years of age, dressed in rages and covered head to toe in dirt. He looked much too thin for his own good, he worried a strong breeze.

"Wow, I almost forgot how thin I was." Naruto mussed to himself as he walked up to the boggart that now looked like a six-year-old Naruto Uzumaki. this was he greatest fear, being alone, lost, and for gotten by everyone in the hidden leaf village. Naruto fought the urge to walk over and the small boy,

"Right, it's not real." Naruto told himself as he pulled out his wand from within his robs and pointed it at himself.

" **Ridicules!"**

with a loud crack young Naruto was replaced with Harry, Ron, and Hermione all standing together laughing and inviting him to come over to them. climbing back out of the trunk Naruto was greeted by Professor Lupin.

"Excellent, Naruto." He muttered. Naruto headed back up to the castle all around him, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of the exams that afternoon.

"How are your exams going of far Naruto?" asked Pansy as she Millicent, Tracey, and Daphne sat down around him.

"Oh, hello girls. They went really well I think only have Divination left." Naruto said happily as he and stated to eat his lunch.

"That will be easy that one. Just had it all you will what to do is look at a crystal ball." Tracey told him the rest of his lunch was spent taking with the three Slytherin girls. After lunch Naruto spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione walking up the marble staircase together.

"Hey guys what going on?" Naruto asked and they told him about their encounter with the Minister of Magic, and the two men from the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The continued to walk together till Hermione left them on the first floor and Naruto, Harry, and Ron proceeded all the way up to the seventh to Professor Trelawney's classroom.

"She's seeing us all separately," Neville informed them as they went to sit down next to him. He had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing.

"Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?" he asked them unhappily.

"Nope said Naruto and Ron together Ron kept checking his watch. The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class hissed, "What did she ask? Was it okay?"

However, Naruto much like Hermione didn't really see the value of Divination but stayed because it was easy. Time slowly passed as the class stated to be called up to see Professor Trelawney. After Ron had finished Harry was called up and Naruto was now the only person left to be tested. He settled himself on the floor with his back against the wall, listening to a fly buzzing in the sunny window, his mind across the grounds with Hagrid. Five minutes later the hatch to the classroom opened up and Naruto watched Harry clime back down the ladder.

"Professor Trelawney, just told me a real prediction." Harry said astonished.

"Stop lying." Naruto said offhandedly as he gave Harry a suspicion look.

"No really." Said Harry and then he told Naruto what she had just told him. Naruto too a moment to think on what he was just told.

"So, the servant of the dark lord will return to his master tonight." Naruto muttered to himself

"That has to mean Sirius Black." Harry said but Naruto know better it had to be talking about Peter Pettigrew.

"right you should go tell Ron and Hermione." Naruto said as he watched Harry run off but before he could do anything himself he was called by Professor Trelawney.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

The tower room was hotter than ever before; the curtains were closed, the fire was alight, and the usual sickly scent made Harry cough as he stumbled through the clutter of chairs and tables to where Professor Trelawney sat waiting for him before a large crystal ball.

"Good day, my dear," she said softly. "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb. . . . Take your time, now . . . then tell me what you see within it. . . ." she told him but Naruto didn't have the time or the patients to put up with the seer at the moment.

"Sorry Professor, but I don't see anything, and I won't sit here and waist both of our times saying otherwise." And with that being said Naruto got up and headed back down the ladder ignoring the Divination teachers protest.

"Mr. Uzumaki, get back here." Trelawney called out, but Naruto didn't bother to stop, and he made his through the castle till he finally reached the front door. Pushing the large doors open Naruto stopped and reached in to his robs for something.

"Yuna I need you to find Hermione's cat, and find the rat, do you understand?" Naruto asked as he held up the small white cat at eye level. The answer to his question came in the form of a small meow from Yuna. Which Naruto took as a yes and putting her on the ground Naruto watched as she stated to move back in to the castle before continued on to the Whomping Willow.

Getting pass the tree and moving down in to the tunnel, Naruto moved as fast as he could in order to reach the Shrieking Shack quickly.

"Sirius! Sirius!" Naruto called out as came out of the floor.

"Naruto, What wrong?" Sirius asked as he help the boy up from the trap door.

"Sirius, I just heard… from Harry… a prediction… a real one." Naruto said as he tried to catch his breath.

"WHAT!? Did he tell you this?" Sirius asked as he looked down at Naruto. Finally catching his breath Naruto told Sirius everything that Harry had told him about the prediction.

" **The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was. Tonight, before midnight the servant will set out to rejoin his master."**

"Are you sure that was everything in the prediction word for word?" Sirius asked as he grabbed hold of Naruto's arms demanding

"Yes, that what he was told. Sirius what are we going to do, we can't just let Peter get back to Voldemort." Naruto told Sirius as he broke free of the man's grip.

"No, I won't let that happen, come on Naruto." Sirius said as he turned in to the massive black dog and he and Naruto moved back through the tunnel and back Hogwarts in search of Peter. By the time Naruto and dog Sirius made it back to the Hogwart's grounds it was. Moving past the willow and heading to the tree line, Naruto and Sirius came across Yuna and Crookshanks.

"Yuna, good job girl you found him." Naruto said as he scooped up the kitten.

"Alright you guy's we have one night to find Peter before the gets away and rejoins Voldemort." Said Naruto as he put down Yuna and all four of them moved out to try and find the rat in different directions. As Naruto moved around, he founded harder and harder to see anything in the dying light of the sun.

However, a sudden commotion drew his attention to a spot near the willow. Running over Naruto saw dog Sirius dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll with Harry and Hermione following.

"Look out." Naruto called out as a thick branch hit Harry so hard across the face, he was knocked off his feet again. He heard Hermione shriek with pain and fall too.

"Naruto what are you doing here?" Harry asked but Naruto ignored

"Get back it's the Whomping Willow. at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Ron backward into a large gap in the roots — Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight —

"Ron!" Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and he was forced backward again. All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground — but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron's leg had broken, and a moment later, his foot vanished from sight.

"Harry — we've got to go for help —" Hermione gasped; she was bleeding too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.

"No! That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time —"

"Harry— we're never going to get through without help —" Another branch whipped down at them, twigs clenched like knuckles.

"If that dog can get in, we can," Harry panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branchesbut he couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree's blows.

"Oh, help, help," Hermione whispered frantically, dancing uncertainly on the spot, "please . . ."

"Here stand back." Naruto called out as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at a knot on the truck.

" **Stupefy."**

Naruto's spell hit its mark and Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook.

Come on — and keep your wand out —" Naruto said as they covered the distance to the trunk in seconds, but before they had reached the gap in the roots, Naruto had slid into it Harry went next; he crawled forward, headfirst, and slid down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel. Hermione slithered down beside him.

"Naruto what is this place." Hermione asked the blond.

"this is a secret tunnel that leads to the Shrieking Shack. I've been using it to sneak out of Hogwarts. Now come on." Naruto said as they stated to move as fast as they could, bent almost double on and on went the passage he was drawing breath in sharp, painful gasps, running at a crouch. . . . this was the second time today Naruto had to do this. And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Harry and Hermione could see a patch of dim light through a small opening. Harry and Hermione paused, gasping for breath, edging forward. Both raised their wands to see what lay beyond.

It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up. Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked very frightened but nodded. Harry pulled himself out of the hole, staring around. The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's arm again. Her wide eyes were traveling around the boarded windows.

"Welcome to the Shrieking Shack." Naruto said. Harry looked around. His eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out of it; one of the legs had been ripped off entirely.

"Ghosts didn't do that," he said slowly. At that moment, there was a creak overhead. Something had moved upstairs. Both of them looked up at the ceiling. Quietly as they could, they crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, where a wide shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs. They reached the dark landing.

"Nox," they whispered together, and the lights at the end of their wands went out. Only one door was open. As they crept toward it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan, and then a deep, loud purring. They exchanged a last look, a last nod. Wand held tightly before him, Harry kicked the door wide open.

On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks and Yuna, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was

Ron. Harry and Hermione dashed across to him.

"Ron — are you okay?"

"Where's the dog?"

"Not a dog," Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain.

"Harry, it's a trap —"

"What —"

"He's the dog . . . he's an Animagus. . . ." Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder. Harry wheeled around.

With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them. Whatever Hermione and Harry had expected a man on the run form Dementors who had escaped form Azkaban prison, the sight of a clean and healthy Sirius Black dressed in black robes and, in a winter,, cloak was not it.

This Sirius Black looked nothing like A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin like his wanted posters.

" **Expelliarmus!"**

he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them. Harry's and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Harry. Sirius Black must have not noticed Naruto's wand, but when Harry and Hermione looked over at their friend, they had expected him to attack Black. Instead Naruto Put his wand away and walked over to Ron to take a better look at his leg.

"Merlin's beard Padfoot did you try to bite the whole leg off." Said Naruto as he started to rip the bed shits in order to rap Ron's leg.

"Sorry Kit I saw the rat and know it was my only chance to get a hold of him." Sirius said a looked over at Harry.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you,

not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful . . . it will make everything much easier. . . . Right Naruto." Sirius said and Ron, Harry, and Hermione looked over at there friend as he finished wrapping up Ron's injured leg in shock and horror.

"Just get it over with Sirius, he don't have much time left remember the Prediction." Naruto said as he stood up and moved to stand next to Sirius, his wand now back out.


	13. Chapter 13 the end

When Naruto finally came two from the surprise attack from Severus he awoke to the sight of a strange man in the room.

"Naruto thank goodness your awake, how are you felling?" Hermione asked him as he slowly stated to get up off the floor.

"So that him, Peter." Naruto plainly said as he got a better look at the man. He was a very short man, hardly taller than Harry and Hermione. His thin, colorless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top. He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers's fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes.

"Right, now that Naruto is up." said Lupin, suddenly businesslike. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing." He hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg with his wand, and muttered, "Ferula." Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.

"That's better," he said. "Thanks."

"What about Professor Snape?" said Hermione in a small voice, looking down at Snape's prone figure.

"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," said Lupin, bending over Snape and checking his pulse. "You were just a little — overenthusiastic. Still out cold. Er — perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safely back in the castle. We can take him like this. . . ."

"He's out cold Professor Lupin?" Naruto asked as he looked down at his head of house.

"Yes." Lupin said and that was all Naruto needed to hear as he reached his arm back and brought his fist smashing at his large hooked nose.

"Naruto! No stop." Called out Hermione and Lupin as they stopped the blond from taking another hit at Snape. After he was pulled away did Lupin take his wand out and point it at Snape.

"Mobilicorpus."

He muttered, As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck, and knees, he was pulled into a standing position, head still lolling unpleasantly, like a grotesque puppet. He hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. Lupin picked up the Invisibility Cloak and tucked it safely into his pocket.

"And two of us should be chained to this," said Sirius, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."

"I'll do it," said Lupin.

"And me," said Ron savagely, limping forward. Black conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Lupin's right, right arm to Ron's left. Ron's face was set. He seemed to have taken Scabbers's true identity as a personal insult. Crookshanks and Yuna leapt lightly off the bed and led the way out of the room.

Naruto had never been part of a stranger group. Crookshanks and Yuna led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. Harry, Naruto and Hermione brought up the rear. Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it

Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. Harry could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks and Yuna was still in the lead. Harry went right after Black, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. And lastly were Naruto and Hermione walking awkwardly next to each other.

"Naruto. . . I wanted to say." Hermione started but Naruto cut her off.

"Forget it Hermione." Naruto told her trying to stop her from apologizing.

"No Naruto, I was wrong, and I said things and did things back in that room I shouldn't have and I'm sorry." She told him sincerely. Naruto stopped and looked over at his friend.

"Hermione . . . I." Naruto tried to find some words to say let his friend know everything was fine between them. However, he was having trouble with it and the longer he stayed silent the more devastated Hermione started to look.

"I understand. . . ." Hermione started to say but was cut short when Naruto stepped forward and hugger to him.

"Hermione you're always going to be my friend not matter what happens." Naruto told her as pulled away and flashed her a small smile which a misty-eyed Hermione returned. They did not speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks and Yuna darted up first; they pressed their paws to the knot on the trunk, because Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron clambered upward without any sound of savaging branches. Black saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Harry, Naruto and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out.

"One wrong move, Peter," said Lupin threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest. Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then — A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight. Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Black froze. He flung out one arm to make Harry and Hermione stop. Naruto could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

"Oh, my —" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"

"Run' Sirius whispered. "Run. Now." Harry hesitated and Naruto could see why. Ron was still chained to Lupin and Peter. Quickly moving pass Sirius he pulled out a kunai and with a quick flash of steel in the moonlight the shackle around Ron was cut.

"RUN!" Naruto called as he grabbed Ron by the back of his robs and throw him back at Harry and Hermione. There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. He was backing away — As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws

As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, Naruto kunai still in hand rushed Lupin as Sirius stated to transform in to the bare size dog. The three of them were locked, jaw to jaw, claws and kunai ripping at each other — Hermione, Ron, and Harry stood, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else.

"Padfoot go for the leg." Called out Naruto as he jumped back form the werewolf narrowly avoiding a set of sharp laws cutting him across the chest. Next there was a yelp of pain as Sirius clamped down on to the werewolf's leg. Naruto took this chance to move in and deliver a devastating combination of punches and slashes. With a howl of rage Sirius was thrown back by Lupin who was now coming at Naruto with full force.

"Naruto!" Hermione called out after Naruto gave a shout of pain as the werewolf landed a set claw marks on his shoulder.

"Guys run." Naruto shouted at them as started to lead Lupin away from them and towards the forest. As Naruto ran, he pulled out his wand and stated to fire spells over his shoulder at the pursuing werewolf as he moved farther and farther away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione. This didn't last long as a tremendous force smashed in to Naruto sending him flying in to the air and crashing in to a tree.

"Ouch!" Naruto cried out sarcastically as he tried to get up off the ground, but from the dent he had just made in the tree it wasn't looking good from his body. Before he had time to do get up another powerful swipe sent him soring though the air. A sudden trickling of warmth started to move down his front and looking down Naruto saw that Lupin hand left a long gash from his left shoulder to his lower right rib. Naruto tired to move but was finding it impossible as the werewolf edge closer and closer to him, its razor-sharp fangs beard.

Lupin moved in for the kill, and Naruto throw up his arms and braced himself for the coming attack. Just then Sirius came bounding down and throwing himself atop of Lupins back he bit down on the werewolf's neck.

"Sirius." Naruto called out as Lupin was able to wrench Sirius off his back and toss him aside. Now Lupin was starting to move towards the injured Sirius.

"Sirius get up! Sirius!" Naruto called out as he tried to move but was unable to. Lupin was now inches away from the limping form of Sirius.

"Hey, get away from him furball!" Naruto shouted, but the werewolf was too focused on Sirius. He needed to do something, but he couldn't even lift his wand. Then it happened.

"I SAID LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Naruto bellowed as a sudden burst magic shot forth form his body and rising his wand, he without words a massive blast of crimson magic rocketed towards Lupin and knocked him care across the school lawn.

"I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!"

Naruto called out as he stood up and started to walk towards the now limping and whimpering werewolf. He didn't know what this power was, but it felt good, his whole body was covered in the crimson energy. He was only a few feet form the werewolf and rising his wand he brought it slashing down through the night air. Anther crimson shock wave left his wand and rocketed towards Lupin, it missed by a foot. Where it did his was now a massive crater in the ground, Naruto lifted his wand and tried again but the werewolf was able to move out of the way just in time.

"I'LL KILL YOU FOR HURTING MY FRIENDS!"

Naruto called out he fired off another crimson blast and another and another. He had finally cornered the werewolf against a tree and raised his wand to finished it off.

"Naruto, stop!" Called someone called out to him and suddenly he was being embraced from behind.

"Please, Naruto don't do this please stop. . . . please" somewhere form deep with in he recondited that voice and pushing past the red haze clouding his mind he remembered.

"Hermione?" Naruto called as he started to low his wand and the crimson energy began to seep back inside of him. sensing no present danger Lupin took this moment to scamper in to the woods. Naruto turned to face Hermione, but before he could say anything he fell forward and passed out.

"Really — they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?" said a stern voice and slowly starting to open his eyes Naruto, the first thing he noticed was the soft bed he was laying on. he was in the hospital wing. Looking around he saw Harry, a sleeping Ron, and Hermione each in their own while Madam Pomfrey standing looking at the door to the hospital wing.

"Severus — be reasonable — Harry has been locked up —"

BAM.

The door of the hospital wing burst open. Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself. Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself.

"OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" he bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Professor Snape!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey. "Control yourself!"

"See here, Snape, be reasonable," said Fudge. "This door's been locked, we just saw —"

"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape howled, pointing at Harry and Hermione. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth.

"Calm down, man!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" shrieked Snape. "HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT —"

"That will do, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"

"Of course not!" said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. "I would have heard them!"

"Well, there you have it, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "Unless you are suggesting that Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."

thoroughly shocked at his behavior, to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. Snape whirled about, robes swishing behind him, and stormed out of the ward.

"Fellow seems quite unbalanced," said Fudge, staring after him. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore."

"Oh, he's not unbalanced," said Dumbledore quietly. "He's just suffered a severe disappointment."

"He's not the only one!" puffed Fudge. "The Daily Prophet's going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that hippogriff 's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock! Well . . . I'd better go and notify the Ministry. . . ."

"And the dementors?" said Dumbledore. "They'll be removed from the school, I trust?"

"Oh yes, they'll have to go," said Fudge "Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer

the Kiss on an innocent boy. . . . Completely out of control . . . no, I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight. . . . Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance. . . ."

"Hagrid would like that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry, Naruto, and Hermione. As he and Fudge left the dormitory, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. Muttering angrily to herself, she headed back to her office.

"So, I guess Sirius was able to escape." Naruto said happily after all the adults were gone form the room.

"Naruto your awake." Called out Hermione and Harry seeing their blond friend was awake.

"What happened after I passed out?" Naruto asked them and the next hour was spent with Hermione and Harry taking it in turn to let him know about the arrival of hundreds of dementors after he had passed out their trip back in time.

"What you guys went back in time." Naruto said after he learned about Hermione's time turner. Next Naruto was amazed at how they had managed to save Buckbeak and Sirius.

"Wow you two that was amazing." Said Naruto after they had finished "I'm glade Sirius made it out just fine." Just then there was a low moan from the other end of the ward. Ron had woken up. They could see him sitting up, rubbing his head, looking around.

"But Naruto what was that red energy?" Hermione asked remembering the way Naruto looked right as he was about to kill Lupin.

"what red energy?" Naruto asked trying to think about what she was saying. Then it all came back to him, how right as Sirius was about to be killed, he got a burst of energy.

"I don't know." Naruto said trying to understand what happened to him last night.

"What — what happened?" he groaned. "Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?" Harry, Naruto, and Hermione looked at each other wondering who would tell what had happened.

When Naruto, Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit.

"Hey guys I'll catch up with you in a bit I need to check up on something." Naruto as he headed off down a side corridor. Moving though the castle Naruto finally reached Lupin's office. He had already packed most of his things. The grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk and looked up only when Naruto knocked on the door.

"Professor Lupin, what's going on?" Naruto asked as he notice to office.

"I have decided to resign." He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents.

"Why?" said Naruto. "The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?" Lupin crossed to the door and closed it behind Naruto.

"No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince the minister of magic that I was trying to save your lives." He sighed. "That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So, he let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast."

"What the hell is that guys problem." Naruto said starting to get angry at his head of house, first he cursed him without warning and now he got Lupin fired.

"It's alright Naruto it's not just that, last night I attacked you and Sirius last night." Lupin said very seriously "I could have bitten you, Naruto something I had had never wanted to do to anyone." Lupin said as he went back to his desk. Naruto tried to think of something to say that could think, but he could tell that nothing was going to change the man's mind.

"Well I wish you didn't have to go, but I hope I get you see you again someday." Naruto said as he looked at his Professor. Lupin just looked over at Naruto and smiled back at him.

"I'm grateful for the help you have Sirius." Lupin said and after they both shuck hands Naruto left the room and started to head down to the school grounds to find Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Along the way he ran in to a running Harry.

"Hey Harry, what's up?" Naruto asked the frantic looking Gryffindor.

"I'm going to go see Professor Lupin, he's decided to resign." Harry said looking franticly at the blond.

"Oh yeah, I just saw him in his office he's still packing." Naruto told Harry as he walked back down to the Entrance hall as Harry headed for the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom. Once outside of the castle Naruto ran in to Professor Dumbledore.

"Good morning, Naruto how are you doing this fine morning." Dumbledore asked at the two came to a stop in front of each other.

"Oh hey, Albus a bit stiff but nothing to bad. And you?" Naruto said as he stretched out his arm a bit.

"Professor Lupin's carriage is at the gates, I was just going to go tell him." he said.

"I wish he didn't have to leave." Naruto said as he looked back to the castle.

"Remus believes it is for the best after the events of last night." Dumbledore said and Naruto started to think about how crazy last night a question popped in to his head.

"Albus, with Peter out in the wind how long till Voldemort comes back to power?" Naruto asked and at the off look the headmaster gave Naruto the blond told him about the conversation Harry had with the divination teacher. Dumbledore looked mildly impressed.

"Do you know, Naruto, I think she might have made a real prediction." he said thoughtfully. "Who'd have thought it? That brings her total of real predictions up to two. I should offer her a pay raise. . . ." Dumbledore said as he and Naruto laugh a little at his joke. But after the head master left to go find Lupin Naruto was still thinking about the dark lord.

Exam results came out on the last day of term. Harry, Ron, Naruto, and Hermione had passed every subject. Naruto was amazed and Hermione was very pleased that her tutoring had something to do with it. Gryffindor House, meanwhile, had won the House championship. This meant that the end of term feast took place amid decorations of scarlet and gold, and that the Gryffindor table was the noisiest of the lot, as everybody celebrated.

The following morning Naruto and Yuna walked down to Hogsmeade station to see off all of his friends as they left the school for the summer holiday.

"Bye Ginny, Luna hope you two have a good summer." Naruto told the two second-year girls they looked out at him from there compartment windows.

"You two Naruto." Ginny said happily "Remember to write, I'll see if mum will let you come over." She told him as he pulled her head back in leaving the two blonds alone to talk.

"I wanted to thank you again Naruto, because of you this year was been the best at Hogwarts by far." The young Ravenclaw told him as the didn't have to spend the week leading up to end of term looking for her missing possessions.

"Hey, don't worry about it, like I told you that what friends are for." Naruto said happily as he flasher her a foxy grin, before he walked off to say good bye to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Well I hope you guys have a god summer." Naruto said as he reached his waiting friends.

"Yeah, I still can't believe your staying at the school year-round." Ron said at this Harry wish he didn't have to go back with his relative but instead stay at the school along with Naruto.

"Well Albus was the one to set it up, and besides this is home now." Naruto said happily as he looked back to the castle.

"Naruto I never said it, but thanks for helping out Sirius." Harry told him a he reached his hand out and Naruto took its and they shock hands. As both boys boarded the train Hermione and Naruto where left on the platform.

"Well this it remembers to keep up with the lesson plans I left you over the summer, and try not so go in to the forbidden forest too much, and also." Hermione was going on and one very quickly

"Hermione don't worry ok, I'll be fine." Naruto told his friend "Just go and enjoys your summer." Naruto told her. She still looked like she wanted to say something, but the final boarding call had gone out and she hopped on the train. Naruto stood back as the train started to move and waved good bye to all his friends.

"let's get to work." Naruto told his cat as he started to head back up to the castle. A few minutes later he was entering the now empty school library. With Peter free, Sirius in hiding, Naruto had decided to use the summer to prepare the Voldemort's eventual return. This was his home now and he had friends to look after.

"this looks useful." Naruto said as he walked to the back of the library and headed for the restricted section. With the librarian gone for the summer the only limitation to how far his powers could grow where his own.

The that is the end of Naruto's first year at Hogwarts and Harry, Ron, and Hermione's third year. Thanks to everyone that fav. And followed this story and I hope you like reading it as much as I liked writing it.

The next part in Naruto's adventures in the wizarding world will more focused on the Slytherin side of Naruto's times at Hogwarts as he no longer needs to take classes with Hermione.

Still haven't decided on a final parring for Naruto but have started to put in some ground work.


	14. Chapter 14

the adventure continues in Naruto and the staff of wonder and ruin 2. . . Now Posted


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